Objective: Defeathering The Peacock
by IssaLee
Summary: Ginny makes a bet involving Malfoy with her friend, and one of the hugest, most startling chain reactions she'd ever set off suddenly began. Ginevra, can you say Oops?
1. Inept

Yes, I know I have two unfinished fics out in the Harry Potter world, and one in a totally different one, but the plot bunnies—they can be very mean when they want to! And besides, I had a nice title and I was looking for a fic to stick it to, and here it was! Tell me what you think? Please?

Disclaimer: I own what I own, what I own.

Ginevra was furious.

She had practically flown up to her room in a quiet rage, flung herself upon her bed, and immediately begun to scrawl out a long letter.

Errol, her family's old owl, hooted excitedly and tried his best to flap onto her bed. Ginny (as she preferred (demanded) to be called) glanced at him and sighed.

"Silly bird. You're too old to take this letter! I'll have to take Pig, the hyped-up idiot."

Errol looked downcast, and she ruffled his head-feathers. "Don't be sad, Errol. It's just…well, maybe you should retire. We'll put you in a nice, nice home, were you can—er, eat all sorts of wild things!"

Errol hooted and stuck out his chest feathers, and Ginny laughed.

"No, Errol, you're way too old!"

"Yes, but he's not as old as you, Gin, so he should be thankful."

Ginny turned to see her twin brothers, Fred and George, standing in the doorway. Besides her mother, she was the only person who could tell them apart, but she didn't tell them that. Mostly she called them Gred and Forge, so that they would go on believing they could trick her whenever they wanted to.

Fred was the one who had spoke, and he leaned in the doorway as George walked over to her bed. She was a little to slow to realize what they were doing, until George grabbed the letter she had been writing, and held her down with one hand as he read it aloud.

" 'Dear Colin!' Oh, he's dear to you, Ginny?" George read teasingly.

"Give it back, you slimy, slothful, hateful thing!" she shouted. "Ooh, if I had my wand with me—"

"You mean this wand?" Fred produced her twin rowan wand from his jean pockets, and she scowled irritably. "Continue, Gred, I think I'd rather like to know what our dearest sister is saying."

" 'I'm running away from home! If you've gotten your Hogwarts letter, you'll know why, but if you haven't, I'll explain later. I'm coming by Floo, so be ready, and from your house I'm going to go into Muggle London, and live as a magician.'"

George had to stop reading there, as he began to laugh. Ginny managed to snatch the letter from his hands, and ripped it up.

"I hate you both! You don't have to go back to Hogwarts, you wouldn't know! I'm going to be in emotional pain and I'll be traumatized for the rest of my life, and it'll be all your fault!"

Fred snorted. "It's all our fault that you're a genius? I think you should be thanking us for that, then."

"No I shouldn't!" Ginny seemed absolutely livid now. "If you hadn't asked me to help you with all your stupid tricks, I wouldn't have learned so much, and liked it, and done so well!"

"Done so well?" George looked shocked, but Ginny knew he was joking. "My dear girl, you're head of your class in every subject! You take even more classes than Hermione—"

"—Even though we told you we'd throw you out the window if you did—," Fred added.

"—And you managed to keep your wits about you, too! It only makes sense that Snape—"

"—The greasy, loathsome git—"

"—Would ask you to join his advanced potions classes!" George finished. "And even though he has only Slytherins in that class, we'll give you a discount and then there'll be hell to pay if they dare touch you."

"There would be hell to pay even if we didn't give her a discount, Gred." Fred observed. "And besides, Ginny, you said Colin's just as good as you, and so is your other friend, the evil girl—"

"Tessa?" Ginny interrupted, smiling widely. "Please, you guys are just upset because of the time she put that impotent charm on you the night you went on that date with Angelina and Alicia. I understand you weren't very—happy, with the results?"

"For God's sake, we weren't affected by them at all!" Fred cried. "We almost lost our girlfriends!"

"And that's why Tessa is my best friend." Ginny deadpanned.

With her wide, almond shaped eyes and long, wavy black hair, Tessa Reeve was considered an exotic beauty at Hogwarts. She had only met Ginny in their fourth year, but she, Ginny and Colin Creevey had become good friends, rivaled only by the Golden Trio.

"Yes, well," George said, smiling bitterly, "It's only the day before school starts, so you couldn't exactly have left for Colin's house anyways. You could, however, drown yourself in the lake tomorrow."

"We'll help!" Fred said brightly. Ginny stuck her tongue out at them and slid out of bed, causing Errol to topple over and get lost in the sheets.

"I'm going down to lunch. And I'm also telling Mum you suggested I kill myself."

Fred blanched. "Oh, no, Gin, you wouldn't do that to us! We're your favorite brothers!"

"And how do you know that?" She replied indignantly.

"Well," began George. "You know ickle Ronniekens, and how overprotective he is. Think about it, Gin, you hate it when he goes crazy. And Charlie—"

"—Charlie has been a bit preoccupied if you ask me, what with the whole dragon's revolt and all. Besides, Charlie's a good bloke, but the best thing he's ever done is let us ride those dragons. Bill—"

"—Bill is awesome, but you know him."

"Always on the go—"

"—Especially since—"

"—That Delacouer girl—"

"—Admitted she liked him." George made an airy motion. "I bet you they get married in June, Fleur'll want a summer wedding."

"Bet taken." Fred said.

Ginny shook her head in exasperation. "Ok, so you guys are the only brothers I can stand for long. Happy?"

"Very." They chorused, and let her out of the room laughing like mad. Ginny wandered down the stairs and into the kitchen, where her mother was busy cooking something and setting down dishes on the table.

The fact that she was doing all that with her wand and at the same time reading the _Daily Prophet_ did not escape Ginny.

"Mum?" she asked.

Molly Weasley looked up and smiled at her only daughter. "Something wrong, Ginevra?"

"Ginny, Mum." Ginny replied. "No, but I just wanted to know, do I absolutely, positively, definitely have to tale the Advanced Potions course?"

"Yes." Mrs. Weasley didn't miss a beat. "You know you want to be an Auror, dear, and although I'm not sure if you'll make it, you could at least work in the Ministry's lab."

"But Mum!" Ginny began to protest, but Ron, Harry and Hermione chose to enter at that exact same moment. Harry was clutching his trunk, as he had just arrived from Privet Drive.

Ron turned towards her and nodded shortly. "Ginny."

"Are you still upset at the spider I put in your bed, Ronald? It was just an experiment! I wanted to see how high you could jump. And five feet is a very good number!"

Hermione laughed, and Harry turned so he could see her. He was suddenly stunned, and stared.

Ginny didn't notice, however. Instead, she brushed back some of her hair (which always seemed to be falling in her face) and turned back to her mother. "Mum, I refuse to take Advanced Potions. No one in their right mind would!"

"Advanced Potions?" Hermione looked incredulously at her. "You've gotten in? Oh, but Ginny, that's wonderful! I've been trying for ages, but Snape keeps saying my grades are mediocre. You must be really smart!"

Molly gave her daughter a look, and Ginny turned red. "But Mum, we can't be sure Hermione's in her right mind, I mean, did you SEE her schedule in her third year?"

Ron had taken a sip from a glass of lemonade on the table, and now he snorted it out onto the floor. Hermione turned a brilliant shade of red, and Harry grinned.

"Ginny," Mrs. Weasley said sternly, "That's enough. You are taking the class, and you are going to behave for Professor Snape."

"Isn't Malfoy in that class?" Ron said after a moment.

Ginny suddenly put her hands over her face, let out a groan, and ran upstairs.

"HEY!" Fred and George suddenly stumbled down the stairs, both of their legs locked with a curse.

There was the sound of a door slamming, something else opening, and a loud, rage-filled scream before all was quiet again.

Harry waved his wand absently and performed the counter-curse on the twins, before turning to Ron.

"She's changed." He meant her new figure, the almost-filled one, curves and all.

"Tell me about it. She scares me. Spends a bit too much time with Tessa, if you ask me." Ron meant her attitude."

"Tessa?" Harry looked confused.

Ron pulled out a chair and sat in it. "That's right, you haven't seen her yet. You'll meet her at Hogwarts. You probably just don't know her all that great, what with last year being the war and all, and the same year everyone else noticed her."

The twins joined them at the table, and after much joking, they all sat down. Everyone that is, save Ginny.

A half-hour later, she came downstairs with her hair damp and an unhappy look on her face. Fred and George exchanged glances, before Fred worked up the nerve to talk to her.

"We were just joking when we told you to jump in the lake."

"Yeah," George agreed. "You didn't have to practice."

"Burn in hell—heaven." Ginny said, as her mother shot her a look. "I was sending a letter to Colin and Tessa, and Ron's stupid bird flew into the bathroom and tripped me. Who left the bathtub running?"

She didn't miss the whistling Fred and George started, but she decided to let it all alone and sat down at the only available seat, next to Harry. She didn't notice his flustered look, although the twins did.

The rest of the day was uneventful, so when Ginny was walking to her bedroom for a good night's rest, she wasn't expecting Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon, to fly right into her face.

She shrieked, and all the doors in the hall opened. Pig had latched himself onto her face and was flapping frantically, and she tumbled backwards.

"I'll save you, Gin-Gin!" George attempted (somewhat valiantly) to save his sister by grabbing Ron and throwing him behind her.

Ginny stumbled over her brother and fell back, landing rather painfully on her rear end. She let out a muffled groan, and Fred ran into the fray.

"You've hurt Gin-Gin!" He yelled at George, then stopped, and looked at the chaos. "Actually, I think I'll compliment you."

All this before Ginny finally managed to grab her wand and hex everyone within three feet of her. Fred and George sprouted jelly-like ears, Ron was stuck with a cat's tail, and Hermione looked like Mickey Mouse on crack. Harry was half submerged through the floor, and Pig, poor, poor Pig, was turned into a weird canary-owl hybrid with tusks.

When the noise died down (Mr. Weasley had come home from work in the middle of it all, and ended up almost suffocating from laughter) Mrs. Weasley and Ginny spent most of the night un-hexing everyone.

Ginny didn't collapse in bed until around two o' clock in the morning. Before she could sleep, however, Fred and George crept into her room. Fred crouched down by her bed and scrutinized her.

"We believe you're socially and emotionally inept, you know."

"I am not!" She protested.

George shrugged. "Yeah, well once you get around to hexing your friends and family for the smallest things, and with a temper like that—"

"—You can only be called inept." Fred finished. They crept out without another word. Ginny lay in bed, trying her best to fall asleep. Sometime around four o' clock, she screamed into her pillow and turned over to glare at her ceiling, and hiss an irritable sentence at it.

"What the bloody hell does inept mean, anyway!"


	2. Betting It All

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this but the plot and Tessa. And maybe a few other characters.

"…I think you need a hug."

Ginny yawned and opened her eyes blearily. "What was that?" She looked around and realized she wasn't alone any longer.

She had found an empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express, and due to her lack of sleep the night before; she'd lied down for a quick catnap. It seemed it wasn't going to happen.

"I was just saying, Ginny, that you look like you could use a hug. You were sleeping a bit fitfully." A soft voice replied.

Tessa Reeve had a slight, lilting French accent, one that didn't go unnoticed by the male population. Her whole mother's side of the family was French, and as her mother and her mother's family were Muggles, she spent her summer in Muggle France.

Her father was English, and came from a line of Pureblood wizards. He had almost broken off contact with his family through the marriage; Tessa's relationship with her father's side of the family was very strained.

"Tessa!" Ginny cried, instantly awake, and gave her a hug. Tessa pulled her hair back and surveyed her friend's face.

"You've grown." She said finally, and Ginny blushed.

"Not much. If anything, you're the one who's grown, and beautifully too." Tessa gave her a reprimanding look.

"What did I tell you before we left Hogwarts last year?"

Ginny sighed, but a small smile made its way across her face anyway. "I think, therefore I'm kick-ass."

Tessa smiled. "You bet you are."

"Have you seen Colin yet?" Ginny stretched and stood. Tessa shook her head.

"Maybe he's late?" But it was a question, not a statement, and so Ginny walked over to the compartment door and opened it.

…And came face to face with the last person she wanted to see at the moment.

"Malfoy." She said flatly.

Draco was, to say the least, surprised. The littlest Weasel had opened the door, with her clothes and hair disheveled. She had caught him by surprise, and he couldn't help but admire how much she'd changed over the summer.

He came back to reality when he realized she was staring at him, and he offered her a cold reply.

"Weaselette. Were you leaving?" The hidden meaning behind the statement was obvious, and just for spite, she shook her head.

"No." And so saying, she immediately moved backwards and sat down next to Tessa, who was scrutinizing Draco with a wary look.

Draco made a small, miniscule movement with his fingers, and stepped inside. Behind him followed a black-haired boy, with strangely blue-green eyes.

"You aren't leaving?" Ginny asked, with an arched brow, visibly mocking Draco.

The two sat across from them, and Draco snorted. "The other compartments are full, and besides, I don't see anyone of any importance sitting here."

Ginny's face turned a brilliant red, as did her vision, until she felt Tessa stilling her with a hand on her shoulder. Determined to ignore Malfoy, she turned to Tessa and forced a smile to her face.

"Are you the Potions class too? Mum's making me take it, she says I've got to if I want to be an Auror. And she ignored me when I pointed out I was in my sixth year, and I had much longer before I ever had to train."

"I'm in it, alright." Tessa nodded. "But I didn't want to go either. My Mum didn't say much, but my dad was adamant. He says I've got to impress Grandmamma, you know how she is about everything. I've got to be the best to make up for Mum."

"I feel for you." Ginny said absently, and at the same time rummaged around in the knapsack she had left sitting next to her. "I'm going to find Colin, and maybe see if I can find out which compartment Hermione and the others are in. I kind of lost them."

"Or did they lose you?"

Ginny had to was on her feet this time before Tessa stood and pulled her down. Draco only looked at her with mild surprise, before he turned back to his friend.

"You can't let them indulge in your anger like that, Ginny. Trust me, it's not a good thing."

Ginny rolled her eyes, but sat down anyway. A piece of parchment and a black quill were lying amongst her spilled possessions, and she picked them up.

Last year, on a trip to Hogsmeade, she, Colin and Tessa had found them. You wrote whatever you wanted on the parchment, and it would send it to whoever's name was written at the bottom. Ginny had been jittery at first, when the words appeared without notice, but she had learned not to show it.

She wrote a few sentences down with the quill, which apparently needed no ink, before she set it down and settled back, eyeing Draco contemptuously. He sneered back at her.

"Idiot," she said, ignoring Tessa's little disapproving noise.

"Brainless chit."

"Ah, so the Amazing Bouncing Ferret speaks?" Ginny said scornfully. Draco's eyes clouded over, and changed from a silver-blue to a dark gray.

"You shouldn't say things you don't mean, Weasley. You may come to regret it later." He said softly.

Ginny snorted, just as the door slid open and Colin entered. His looked at Draco and his friend, screwed up his face, thought better of it, and made his way to Ginny and Tessa instead.

"Nice summer?" He asked as he sat next to Ginny.

"It was ok," she admitted, as she and Tessa hugged him. "But Gred and Forge were there, and they made my life hell." She repeated the incident from last night, and soon all three of them were laughing.

"Where're the others?" she said after a moment.

"Avoiding you," Draco muttered under his breath. She decided to ignore this comment and awaited Colin's answer. He looked very worried.

"Ginny…I don't know how to say this, but they _are_ avoiding you." Seeing her face, he tried to amend. "I mean, Ron is. He says you've gone mad, and he also said something about the hexing incident. Right now, he and Hermione are doing their prefect patrols. Harry's…well, I don't really know where he's gone."

Ginny turned her attention to the window and shrugged. The answer didn't bother her at all; it was the way the Ferret had smirked at her when Colin answered.

"New robes?" Colin was saying.

Tessa nodded. "Oh, and Ginny, I have the robes I owed you for your birthday; it's a whole set!"

"Perfect." Ginny said, eyes still glued to the window. "I'll see them when we get to Hogwarts, Tess."

At that moment, the door slid open yet once more. Hermione smiled brightly at Ginny and stepped inside.

"We've got some papers to hand out to you. I doubt you'll like them, Ginny." She produced from her robes several different colored papers, and gave them to the three. She didn't notice Draco summoning one from the bottom of her stack.

Ginny read hers quickly.

_**Hogwarts Is Changing!**_

_**By Headmaster Albus Dumbledore's decree, several new traditions have been instilled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.**_

_**New events will take the places of normal feasts, and out of school trips will take place also. Parents and students will be informed at least two weeks prior to all events. Some classes will also be changed, and the curriculum will be altered.**_

_**These proceedings will be available only to sixth and seventh years. **_

_**Our first affair of the year is one that normally takes place, although it will begin earlier than it usually does. We are to have our first Quidditch Match of the year two weeks after arrival. It will be Slytherin vs. Gryffindor.**_

_**The winners of the match will be awarded three hundred House Points along with the scores from their match. **_

_**At the end of the year, a special surprise will be laid out for the winner and runner up of the House Cup.**_

"Dumbledore's gone mad." Ginny said in disbelief. "There can't be a runner-up for the House Cup! And what the hell does he mean, new events in the places of normal feasts? Can't we just eat and have it be over with?"

Hermione nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I know. Ron's been ranting about it. We've heard from McGonagall that there will be dances and the field trips will be outrageous."

Her eyes fell on Draco, who was mumbling something to his friend. "You! You're supposed to be with the other prefects, you're Head Boy!"

Draco rolled his eyes. " And so I realize, Granger, but do you honestly believe that I would stand in a room that's been graced with your filthy presence?"

Hermione turned a bright red, and marched out of the door, stopping only to smile at Ginny and say: "I'm sure it'll be fine."

"You're an insufferable prat, really!" Ginny said after she left. Draco arched an eyebrow.

"So I've heard." He stood, and motioned to his friend. "Come on, Blaise, we'd better find out what all this is about."

Blaise followed him out, but not before shooting what seemed to be a considerate look towards Ginny and her friends.

He grabbed Draco's shoulder, and stared into his friend's eyes. "You are an insufferable prat, you know that? No wonder Granger punched you."

"How long have I known you, Zabini?" Draco asked.

Blaise shrugged. "Since we were in diapers, mate. But what's that got to do with anything?"

"I don't know the Weasley girl at all. She's just another obstacle on my way to fortune. And I hate obstacles." His eyes flashed severely, and Blaise shook his head.

"That's still no reason to act that way! Gods…"

Draco smirked. "I still don't understand why you were put in Slytherin. You're too…kind."

Blaise shrugged. "I was a lot more headstrong, as I remember it. I've changed since then. I think it's Carina's fault."

"Your little sister?" Draco laughed. "Please. I thank the Gods I'm an only child. No influential powers." He began to move again, but Blaise stopped him and frowned.

"Why do you pick her, though? You don't agitate the Weasley boy nearly as much as you do her."

Draco took a moment before answering. "She has a spark in her, and I like to light it, is all. Now come on, we're arriving in a moment and I at least want to make like I've tried to get to the Prefect's Compartment."

A smile quirked at Blaise's features, before he followed his friend down the train.

* * *

Ginny glanced up and down her schedule. 

Then did so again.

…And again…

"Tessa, Colin," she said, her face ashen. "Tell me your schedules are identical to mine!"

"What's wrong?" Colin peered over her shoulder and couldn't repress the gasp that left his mouth. Tessa snatched up the roll of parchment and scanned it.

"Ginny, this looks as if you've gotten bumped up to Seventh year classes! You only have two with the sixth years…"

"I know!" Ginny moaned. She rolled over on the settee, then groaned. Her stomach was still full from the feast they'd just had. Thankfully, that had stayed the same.

"D'you think it's a mistake?" Colin asked hopefully. Tessa shook her head, a wry smile lighting her features.

"This is no mistake. Our friend here is a genius!"

Ginny pulled sat up huffily and stared into the fireplace. "Did you guys get bumped up a class?"

Colin shrugged. "Sorry, Gin, but I didn't make it into the Advanced Potions class, so there's no way I'm making it into any seventh year ones."

Tessa looked briefly over her own schedule and nodded an affirmative. "Muggle Studies and Charms. But that's about it."

"You know what the worst part of it is?" Ginny sulked. "Ron and the others are in all of those classes! Which means Malfoy's in it too!"

"Ginny, give him a chance." Tessa rolled her eyes. Ginny scuttled backwards.

"You traitor! How could you speak about a Malfoy that way!" Tessa rolled her eyes, but as Colin was eyeing her strangely too, she elaborated.

"Look, I believe that there's good in anyone and everyone. So Malfoy—just has a few issues letting that good out."

"Yeah?" Ginny snorted. "I bet you he can't do three decent things for me before Christmas."

"You're on." Tessa smiled. "And if he does, you have to get him a Christmas present, and ask him to go to Hogsmeade with you…on Valentines Day."

"You guys…come on, bets aren't exactly on the list of things people do on their first night back." Colin protested, but Ginny smirked.

"He's Malfoy! He's not going to do anything. So fine, but if he doesn't, then you have to do the same thing, with that friend of his we saw." Ginny had noted the look Blaise had given them, but she had shrugged it off. He was probably just toying with them, anyway.

"Deal. But just to make sure…" Tessa picked up her wand, a slim, almost white one reminiscent of a thinner unicorn's horn.

Colin looked mildly surprised. He'd know these girls for a long time, but they still managed to do the most shocking things. "Magically-sealed bets are illegal."

Ginny picked up her wand and held it out. "And that, Colin, is why it's all the more fun to use them."

She and Tessa touched tips, then made a flicking motion, as if throwing away something on the end of their wands.

"_Swarupa_," They murmured, and their wand tips sparked, before a glittery, half-clear essence leaked out and formed around their wrists before disappearing, binding them to their promise.

Ginny yawned sleepily, and noted the almost empty common room. "I think we'd better go to sleep. Tomorrow it's Seventh Year classes…and Harry's made it clear we have Quidditch practice later on."

As Ginny shuffled up the stairs, Tessa looked to Colin. "I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. She seems busy."

Colin agreed. "D'you think she'll lose the bet?"

Tessa shrugged. "Who am I to say? But Malfoy…he's a strange one. We'll see what comes of it." She glanced down at her wand and smiled. "Besides, that boy next to him was cute. It may not be a bad bet after all."

You know…reviews make the fanfic world go round…and it makes my head spin with praises…and stuff.


	3. Good Men

Thank you to Skeleton-n-the-closet (yeah, I sort of knew, but her not knowing has a key part in the fic later. You'll see) Alexandria J. Malfoy, and Arcander. If I forget someone, terribly sorry, I'm being kicked off the computer now. Oh, and the move here, I got from the Harry Potter Quidditch game, World Cup.

Disclaimer: I refuse to say it! (Watches as a boy with blond hair and charming silver blue eyes runs up to her and whispers something in her ear. Her eyes light up and she turns to readers) I don't own it! (Boy gives her kiss on cheek, and she slumps dreamily as he saunters off)

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"You have to, I'm the Captain of this team!" Harry stamped his foot irately and glared as best as he could down at Ginny, who was slumped against a tree.

She blew a strand of hair from her face and tucked another behind her ears. Harry couldn't help but notice how endearing this small action was, but he pushed it to the back of his mind and steeled hi voice.

"Ginny. You are our best Chaser. We need you to come to practice, the next game is only two weeks away!"

"And it's plenty of time for me to practice!" Ginny retorted. "Harry, listen. I've been put into most of your classes, as well as some even you're not qualified for."

He winced, and Ginny quickly shrugged off the guilty feeling she was getting. "I've got loads of homework to do, and most of it is already going to take me the night!"

"But Ginny!" Harry pleaded, and in a most brilliant stroke (or at least, he thought it was) he got down on his knees, quidditch gear and all, and smiled winningly up at her. "We need you! Without you we're a complete fop!"

Ginny tried to hide the smile creeping across her face. "You've got two other fabulous Chasers, why'd' you need me?"

Harry snorted. "Please. Praia and Morgan? They're passable, but none of their maneuvers work unless you're out on the field to help them!"

Ginny's eyes scanned the pitch, which was filling up rapidly with the Quidditch team. She sighed, then, partly out of amusement.

"Fine, Harry. But don't expect me to be at my best!"

Harry jumped up then and hugged her tightly, leaving her breathless (from the lack of air, she told herself) and smiled widely.

"Great! Now, go get changed so we can start!" he bounded off then, and Ginny eyed him rather unkindly.

"Bloody prick. Gred and Forge were right, he has been possessed by Oliver Wood's spirit."

She huffed and blew more hair out of her eyes, before spinning around and walking stiffly back into the castle, and headed for the locker rooms.

She was massaging her aching temples with her eyes closed, which is why she didn't notice the figure until she ran into it.

"Ah, sorry, sorry!" she mumbled, and looked up. Her breath hitched as Draco smirked down at her.

"Was Potter proposing to you, Weasley?"

It took a moment for her to register that he was talking to her, and even longer before the insult hit home. Or at least, she took it as an insult.

"Sod off, Malfoy! I'm in no mood; my head aches, I've got tons of homework, and now I've got Quidditch practice!"

"Sp Potter did propose?" He was sticking stubbornly to the subject, and although she couldn't tell why he was so interested in it, she bit back.

"NO!" Ginny took a deep breath, and calmed herself. Cracking open one eye, she glared at Draco with it. "You know, Malfoy, I think you should have been hugged more as a child. It certainly could have improved your less then sufficient attitude."

Draco put a hand over his heart. "That hurt, Weaselette. Right there."

She stuck out her chin defiantly and stalked around him. His arms shot out though, almost sending her toppling.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Malfoy?" she righted herself and pushed her hair back, trying desperately to keep her composure.

He had grabbed her hand and was fingering her wrist. She was in shock, and didn't pull it back. After a moment, he let go, and looked at her oddly.

"You have spell on your wrist, binding you to some sort of bet. You know that's illegal, right?"

Ginny swore inwardly. She had forgotten to hide the enchantment with a concealing charm. When she realized Malfoy was still looking at her, she sneered up at him. (He had a good seven inches on her rather miniscule five foot five frame.)

"I'd like to kill you right now." He didn't say anything, and she put her hands on her hips. "Fine. I made a bet with my friend, satisfied?"

He managed to smirk. "Yeah, yeah. Go on, Weaselette, scamper back to that dirt hole you call home."

She had her wand out and ready before he could even blink. "Do not mess with me, Malfoy," she said flatly. "Unlike others, I don't get intimidated by you." And before he could retort, she had set off down the hall at a fast pace.

Draco stared for a moment, before shaking his head. "Stupid Potter, and his stupid girlfriend…" he muttered. Why had he been so interested, anyways?

He suddenly lashed out, and kicked at the wall. Instantly, Draco regretted his decision, as pain shot up his leg and he ended up hopping on one foot.

"That's it! She will pay!" he howled, and set off limping towards the Slytherin dorms.

* * *

Two Weeks Later

Ginny sighed, and put down her quill. She immediately picked it up again, and sighed once more. Behind her, she could see Tessa stiffen from the corner of her eye. They were in the library, finishing up some last-minute homework before the quidditch match later that day.

Ginny moved her quill over the paper, as if she were going to write something; after a moment, she put it down, picked it up, and made as if to sigh, but Tess had suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Gods above, Ginevra! One more little release of breath comes from your mouth, and I may rip it out myself! I swear I will!"

"Mph hmph pfph!" Ginny looked imploringly up at her friend, who relented and took back her hand.

"But that's not fair!" the redhead said angrily. "It's not my fault I have so many classes, while the rest of you all are back in your dorms I'm just heading down to my first of the night!"

"Ah, yes it is." Tessa wagged a finger in her face. "It's your fault for actually paying attention in class and reading those books. Now, chin up, Ginny! You've got the Quidditch game in a few hours!"

"I know, I know, I know!" Ginny moaned. "And Harry's been talking every single moment about it!" She slumped forward, letting her head rest on the parchment in front of her. "I'm starting to sympathize with Malfoy now. I hate Harry-sodding-Potter…"

"Nice to know it, Gin." Harry appeared in between the bookshelves. His lips were up in a quirky grin as he looked down at the small redhead. "Just came by to tell you we've got to be at the pitch thirty minutes early—,"

"—So we can get ready for the game!" Ginny interrupted him. "I know, Harry, I know. I've been on the quidditch team for two years, three years if you count this one."

"Yes, but you might forget!"

"Harry, go away." Tessa smiled at him, but rolled her eyes at the same time. "She's going to claw your eyes out in a moment."

Harry smiled back. He'd met Tessa a few days back, and although he too had noticed her looks, but he preferred to stay friends with her. She scared him, frankly. While Ginny kept hold of her good girl guise as a way to get out of things, Tessa was open about her ability to strike and make it hurt.

"Ah, thanks, Tessa. Bye, Ginny, and don't forget, ok!" Fortunately, he managed to duck and run before the inkbottle hit him in the face.

Ginny pouted and took her wand from her robes. "Scourgify!" The blot of ink disappeared from the books that it had stained. Tessa took the liberty of repairing the inkbottle.

As she looked up, she noticed for what must have been the hundredth time the rings under her best friend's eyebrows.

"Gin, are you ok?" she asked. Ginny smiled, but it turned into a yawn.

"Just a little tired, ok? Now come on, Tessa, we've got to finish this damned essay for Potions. Who needs to know about morphing potions anyways?"

"Unless you're like Tonks, I think you'd want to know." Tessa smiled as Ginny rolled her eyes. She scanned the page of the big, dusty tome she had pulled out from the back of a shelf and a small smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Tessa…Tessa! Check this out! 'Vampyre Metamorphagy'!" Tessa leaned over as Ginny read out loud.

" 'This potion will turn the drinker into any type of Vampire (types listed below) that they would prefer. It is, however, dangerous, as the lust for blood sometimes overpowers the drinker's willpower. The concoction lasts from dusk till dawn, and will not change much about the drinker unless otherwise specified.'"

"That would be fun to do," Tessa mused. "Maybe to freak Fred and George out of their wits?"

Ginny was already scribbling down the ingredients needed and the types listed at the bottom of the page. "It will be fun to do, as soon as we find an occasion to use it!"

"And the blood-sucking?" Tessa pointed doubtfully to the sentence, and Ginny read it over. After a moment, she shrugged.

"I suppose I can fix that, with some sort of potion. Maybe to bind the want to drink blood or to just make it so that we see everyone else as bloodless victims."

"Right then!" Tessa shut the book, ignoring Ginny's upset look. "We have to finish our essays!"

"How about," Ginny said, eyes shining innocently. "How about we do these essays after Snape washes his hair!"

"Come now, Ginny, that'll never happen, and we'll never have to do these essays!"

"Exactly!" Ginny crowed. However, Tessa ignored her and began studying once more. Ginny returned to her pick up quill, put down quill, pick up again and sigh routine, until Tessa cast a silencing charm on her and refused to remove it.

* * *

Ginny strapped on the last of her pads, the ones around her lower legs, before she stood up and stretched. 

"…And Ginny, you have to pass to Morgan when she gets about thirty feet down the field, from there she'll pass to Praia, and from there she'll score a goal. Should the keeper get this goal, we will try our special moves. Got that everyone?"

Ginny nodded along with the rest of the team, although she had not paid attention at all. She suspected no one else had, either. Harry's pre-game pep talks were basically reviews of every single game plan they had.

A whistle blew somewhere from outside, and slowly, the team began to file out.

"Hey, Gin!" Someone hissed from behind her. She turned and saw Morgan Ellis grinning widely at her. Morgan's beaded cornrows made rattling noises as she shook her head.

"You sure look ready for this game. It can't be half as bad as one of Harry's pep talks." Ginny laughed and shook her head.

"I'm fine, just a bit tired that's all." The other Chaser, Praia Eirdow, walked up to them, shouldering her Nimbus 2000. Praia was a pretty girl, with wide set hazel eyes and a tanned complexion. Morgan was also attractive, but with her dark skin and somewhat regal bearing, she looked every inch the Caribbean Princess.

"Ginny, I think it's going to have to be all you this game. My wrist is still killing me from when I sprained it last summer, and unless Morgan's decided not to tell you, she broke her arm around July and isn't supposed to exert it until October."

Ginny took a moment to look them over, both of them nervous and pleading with their eyes. Somewhere, distantly in her mind, she hears a voice telling her it's too much. She can't do all this; she barely made it to the locker rooms without collapsing.

But that voice sounds like Tom.

"Sure!" Her voice is bright and cheery, betraying her true feelings. "Of course I will, but I'll still have to pass it to you guys a few times."

They hugged her, chattering happily, and the three walked quickly out into the rather gray, dreary day. Ginny felt a small drop of water on her head and sighed. It was going to rain…

The crowds were cheering wildly, though, and she soon forgot it all. She clutched her Firebolt closer as Madam Hooch went over the rules. She'd been given the broom as an award, for helping defeat Voldemort.

"Players, take your positions!" Madame Hooch's cry startled her from her reverie, and Ginny swung a leg over her broom before pushing off. She realized she hadn't even shaken hands with the opposing Chaser, but somehow she knew they wouldn't care much.

"**And they're off!**" Arielle Jordan, Lee Jordan's younger sister, was the commentator for the game. As the whistle blew, she began speaking rapidly, and much like her brother too.

"**Gryffindor has the Quaffle, but oh! What a shame! Slytherin's managed to take it—you dirty, rotten lot—and they're speeding down the pitch and—Slytherin has scored! This early in the game too?**"

The sea of silver and green erupted into roars, and Ginny almost put her hands over her ears before she remembered she needed them to stay balanced. The rain had started, as she had predicted, and was now drenching her terribly. She couldn't see the Quaffle, much less steal it.

Sighing, Ginny began the monotonous task of search, steal, and score. The three S's a chaser must live by.

About an hour later, the score was Slytherin—160, and Gryffindor—0. It was an awful, awful way to play the first game of the season, and Harry was showing it. He was so agitated, the Snitch flew in front of his face once and he didn't bother catching it. He couldn't have, seeing as they would have still lost the game. All he needed now was one of his Chasers to score a point, and then he could continue the search.

Ginny was very, VERY tired. The Quaffle had been eluding her for the better part of the game, and when she finally did have it, she was forced to pass to Morgan or Praia, who immediately fumbled it. She was getting drenched, and hating every moment off it.

Suddenly, someone rammed hard into her. Ginny only just managed to veer left, while the other person veered right and into an oncoming Bludger. She couldn't help but laugh a little, but all that came out was a little choking noise as she contemplated what had just dropped in her hands.

The Quaffle! Ginny's eyes widened, and she kicked her heels against the side of her Firebolt. Immediately, she went tearing down the Quidditch Pitch, where she could see Slytherin's three Chasers congregating around the goal posts.

She let out a bark of frustration, and made as if to brake, but a sudden idea struck her. No one had seen the move yet; she'd only practiced it by herself…

"**What's this? Ginevra Weasley has got the Quaffle and she's speeding down there but—move, girl! Don't you see the other Chasers? But she's going faster, and faster, and it doesn't look like they're gonna move. This is going to be one hel—heck of a collision, geez Professor.**"

McGonagall was put off wondering why Dumbledore still let the Jordans handle the commentating when Ginny suddenly sped up as fast as the broom could go.

"GINNY MOVE!" Harry shouted. He had totally forgotten about the Snitch and was now heading for his Chaser. It didn't really matter anyway, as the Slytherin and Gryffindor team had stopped totally. But Ginny wasn't about to stop, and the crowd realized this when she did the unthinkable.

With careful, calm precision, at almost a hundred miles per hour, Ginevra Weasley stood up on her broom.

In an almost liquid movement, she jumped, letting the broom crash into the opposing players, who scattered, as did the Keeper. Ginny took careful aim, and pitched the Quaffle into the goalpost.

She flipped once, for resistance, before her hand found her broom floating next to her, and she grabbed it thankfully. The whole Gryffindor side broke out into stunned applause, and the Slytherins were too shocked to say anything.

Ginny enjoyed the clapping, but the jump had made her very dizzy, and she felt slightly nauseous when she was settled on her broom once more. Ron seemed to have shaped up since he saw his younger sister's moves, and Ginny knew all she needed to worry about now was a Bludger and Malfoy catching the Snitch.

There was a buzzing in her head, though, and try as she might, she couldn't get rid of it. After a moment, she started shaking her head a bit, and soon, this turned into full out jerking.

"**And Collins with the Quaffle…to Eirdow now, back to Collins, and—what in the world is Weasley doing? Does she have a tic?**"

Ginny was well aware everyone must be staring at her now, but the buzzing was growing too loud for her to care. She clapped a hand to her head, and immediately a cry escaped her.

Not only did that hurt like hell, but something metallic was flapping about in her hair! With a start, she realized it was the Snitch. Unfortunately for her, Harry and Draco realized it at about the same time too, just as the Snitch tried to tear away from her.

Harry and Draco both began to the headlong run to get to her, and when she noticed they weren't stopping, she did the only thing she could do. She flew far, far away.

"Damn it, Harry, can you stop please!" she screamed back. But Harry was glaring fiercely at Draco and reaching out a hand at the same time. Ginny really didn't feel like losing some of her hair, so she decided shaking them off was the best way to go.

"**Holy shit—take mushrooms! Those guys are really after her, and it looks like she's noticed it too. She's going up, into the clouds! Is that safe? Hey—we can't see her anymore! Well, folks, it looks like it's all up to Miss Weasley now.**"

Ginny was currently ducking and dodging. She'd lost sight of Harry, but Draco was still doggedly following in her footsteps, straining his own Firebolt closer and closer.

"Leave me alone, Malfoy!" she cried suddenly. He smirked.

"Not a chance, Weasley!"

She rolled her eyes. "If I had known you were this attracted to me, I would have dashed your hoped years ago!"

Draco ignored her and tried once more to grab a handful of her broom, but she swerved sharply. This proved to be a bad move, however, as she crashed into Harry. Her reflexes were to roll over and let go…

Which is what she did.

It took a while for Ginny to realize she was falling, but when she did, it took all her willpower not to scream. She closed her eyes tightly instead, and listened to the wind and rain pounding in her ears. Her hair was drenched, and seemed to be weighing her down. All the fatigue she'd been feeling over the past few weeks was suddenly catching up.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if she fell after all.

She sighed and hugged herself against the chilly atmosphere. Harry and Malfoy! Ooh, the nerve of those two, all this for a stupid golden flying ball! _They let me fall for that ball. Where have all the good men gone? _

She vaguely felt the thing buzzing about in her ear, and felt a small smirk creep to her lips as she realized it would be crushed with her. Harry would be devastated.

_Where have they gone indeed? _

Suddenly, a strong pair of arms had grabbed her, shielding her from the rain. She opened her eyes and blinked, after seeing not emerald irises, but gray ones. Her head was rushing about madly, and she found it hard to stay awake.

_Where…good men…_

"Oh, look. I found a good one," was all she managed, before she blacked out.


	4. Espionage and Binding Charms

Thanks to Arcander, Padfoot in Purple (Thank you for the Quidditch comment! I had no idea how to write the game out!) and Enjambed Caesuras (You'll see about the Snitch in this chapter).

Disclaimer: I could never write a book like JKR. I'd write a much better one. Joking, joking…

**Espionage And Binding Charms**

Ginny awoke with a splitting headache, and hoped desperately that she and Tessa hadn't gotten drunk again. The last time they had, they'd woken up in the bathtub in Harry's room at Grimmauld Place, and found Harry, Hermione, the Weasley family, Tonks, and even Mad-Eye Moody locked inside a hall closet. How they all fit in there, Ginny never knew, and the fact that they were all freaked out of their minds by her very presence for two weeks didn't help much either.

She tilted her head to the side, trying her best to ignore the glaring lights in her face. "Merlin, I should have never become a Chaser for Harry," she mumbled.

"Regrets are vain."

Ginny nearly leapt out of bed and surprise, and the sharp movement made her head hurt even more. Slowly, ever so slowly, she turned her head to the chair next to her bed, and smiled.

"Luna Lovegood. You scared the heck out of me!"

Luna was sitting in the comfortable plush armchair and had her knees drawn up slightly. She was wearing striped knee socks, and a large white sweatshirt that reached to just above her knees. Ginny supposed she was wearing a skirt or shorts, but she couldn't see any mention of said clothing. Luna's shoes were on the floor, as were her robes, and her earrings (which were actually full Sprite cans shrunken down to the size of a key chain) made sloshing noises as she nodded.

"I'm not sorry for it."

Ginny blinked, before she remembered Luna's earlier comment. "Oh. I see." She pushed herself up, and recognized the area around her to be the Hospital Wing. Her memories of the quidditch match came rushing back to her, and she looked back at Luna, who had her eyes half-closed.

"Luna. Who won the game?"

The blond Ravenclaw shrugged. "I didn't go. I was too busy looking for my trunk."

Ginny instantly bristled. "Did someone take it? I'll beat their heads to a bloody pulp when we find out who it is."

"No." Luna shook her head. "I was looking for a Deckle-Kneed, and you know how they like to eat clothing. I decided to hide my trunk until I found the Deckle-Kneed, and now I've lost it."

"Did you check your pockets?" Ginny said, eyeing the other girl warily. Luna's pale eyes brightened, and she dunked a hand into one of the pockets in the front of the sweatshirt.

Out came a long tube that gurgled curiously when touched, castanets that had sharp teeth and snapped at both of the girls, a very suspicious looking vial, and other odds and ends that Ginny was very sure weren't supposed to be anywhere near Hogwarts.

"Here it is!" Luna exclaimed triumphantly, and held up a small trunk that looked almost like a toy. "I'm going to put it back, though, as I can't enlarge it here. Thank you, Ginny."

"You're welcome." Ginny sighed and tried to sit up, but her headache returned tenfold. "Merlin, it looks like Harry's going to have lost a Chaser for the next few months."

Luna didn't say anything. She had put away all the other things and was swirling the liquid in the vial; it was making little coughing and burping noises. Ginny wondered if everything Luna had was alive.

Ginny turned over on her side and slumped into the bed. She closed her eyes, and hoped sleep would overtake her soon. She still felt fatigued, despite all the sleep she must have had.

"How long have I been here, Luna?" Ginny asked quietly.

The elder girl was quiet for a while, before replying. "Only about two days. You've been delirious with fever, too. Ronald and his friends were here. They had to go, though, seeing as it's time for classes."

"Why aren't you there?" Ginny asked, with her eyes half-lidded.

"The Deckle-Kneed was somewhere around here. It left its trail of invisible goop and I stepped in it. By the time I gave up looking, it was too late to go to class, so I decided to come visit you."

"Anyone else?" Ginny stifled a yawn.

"Yes. Colin, and Tessa, and Blaise, and Draco, and—"

"Wait." Ginny's eyes flew open, and she sat up despite the pounding in her ears. "Malfoy came to visit me? And who's Blaise?"

"Yes, Draco came to visit you." Luna didn't call anyone by his or her last name. "And Blaise is his friend, the Slytherin with the nice eyes."

Ginny thought back to the train, and put a face to Luna's descriptions. It shouldn't have come as a shock to her that they'd visited. The Mal-Ferret had saved her, after all. She supposed she'd better thank him next time she saw him…

Something buzzed in her ear, and she swore inwardly. "Luna, please, I really don't need this now. I have a headache!"

Luna didn't answer, and the buzzing became more and more insistent.

"LUNA!" Ginny flipped over, and found herself staring at an empty chair. Nothing was there but the vial of liquid, which had turned a deep purple hue. The buzzing was softer, but still there. "Ok, then."

Ginny sighed and flopped back, but immediately shot up again. Something was hitting her against her head, and she recognized it for what it was instantly.

"AHA!" She looked a little manic as she tangled her fingers in her hair, and then drew out the small snitch from where it was fluttering mindlessly in her hair.

"So no one won the game! Absobloodylutely yeah!" Ginny smiled broadly. "So now Harry can't kill me, and my headache is gone!"

The snitch wasn't fluttering much anymore, but it still strained against her hand, and she had to struggle to hold it tight. After a while, she got the bright idea of digging in her stuff (which was laid out neatly by her bed) to get at her wand, and perform a gluing spell to keep the snitch in her hand.

The magical ball finally gave up, and she smiled. "At least I'm not drunk." She rolled over again, and looked through the things that either Hermione or Tessa had brought her from her trunk.

It was a very hard thing to do with the snitch thinking she was trying to strangle it, but finally, she managed to find a pair of pajamas better then the hospital robe she was wearing. They were basically baggy sweatpants and a tank top she thought she had outgrown, and everything was in black.

"Tessa picked this," she informed the snitch, who quivered in what she hoped was annoyance. She slipped quickly into the clothes, discarding her robe into the bed under her. With a small yawn, she dove under the covers, ignored the snitch's frantic flapping, and fell asleep.

* * *

"Remind me why we're here again?" Blaise ran a hand through his hair, a habit he'd picked up from Draco. Draco ignored him and didn't say a word. The two were walking rapidly down the hall, and sticking to the shadows so as to avoid Filch, or worse, Hermione. 

"Come on, mate, I really, really want to go to sleep, and it's past curfew!"

"I'm Head Boy, you're a prefect, we'll fake something!" Draco snapped. "Calm down, Blaise, we're just going to see Weaselette!"

Blaise stopped suddenly, just outside of the Hospital Wing's doors. "Ah, so this is about the girl Weasel? Does Drakey-poo have a crush?"

Draco showed him a very bad finger, and checked the halls around them. The truth was, he hadn't meant to catch Ginny. In fact, he was going to let her fall, just to show her up for her comments two weeks prior. But the way she had looked around the stadium, as if she wanted nothing more than to fall—that was what had prompted him to kick his broom into action. Potter was too far into the clouds to even see what was going on. He had visited her once or twice before, but she suddenly seemed to have a million friends, all who visited at once. He wanted to see her alone, but he told himself it was purely for a chance to receive his thanks.

But now, all he could do was think about the way she fit perfectly into his arms, he body and his molding into every curve. He shivered now, and paid no attention to the look Blaise gave him while he opened the door.

Inside, it took a while before their eyes adjusted to the change in light. They both crept around the room, checking every bed, until they came to one situated halfway in corner.

"I can't even see her, Draco." Blaise complained. The blond Slytherin rolled his eyes and took his wand from his robes.

"Lumos." For a long, long time, there was complete and utter silence as the light fell upon Ginny in her sleep. Her hair was spread about the pillow, making a sort of fiery halo, and the shirt she was wearing had ridden to just above her navel. The shirt was tight around her body, and managed to show off the bosom she'd grown over the summer without screening too much.

"Phwoar…" Draco breathed heavily, and Blaise covered his eyes with one hand. He found Draco's shoulder and shook it.

"This is like seeing her naked, we can't stay here!" Draco, however, was far past reasoning. He just stared…

"Do you see something moving?" Blaise said abruptly. Afraid that he may have been found out, Draco pushed his jaw back up and made a mental memo to berate himself for checking out a Weasley.

He realized quickly that it wasn't Ginny moving. Rather, it was something in her hand. "Merlin, she has the snitch! It's in her hand still!"

Blaise let out a small noise of surprise and followed his friend as they moved next to the bed. The snitch had awoken with the sudden light (if it slept at all) and was now straining wildly against Ginny's hand.

"She must've bound it." Blaise picked at the gold ball, and it beat at his hand with its wings furiously. Draco smirked.

"Let's unbind it." Blaise lit his wand with the Lumos spell, and Draco extinguished his. He proceeded to try every single unbinding spell he had ever known, and succeeded only in having the previously clear string on her wrist light up, and stay that way, a translucent blue.

"Maybe we should just leave it," Blaise said, yawning. "I'm tired, we've seen her, and she's not even awake, so can we please go?"

"No way!" Draco protested. "No one else has seen the snitch, or they'd take it. If we get this, then maybe there's a rule of some sort saying we can win the game. Gryffindor will have a hissy fit!"

Blaise averted his eyes as Draco pleaded. "You know, I don't know what the females see in you. You're like a three year old, who always gets what he wants." He sighed. "Fine, I'll stay, but how do you suppose we get the thing off? She must have spent a long time finding that binding spell if you and I can't get it off."

"She's just lucky." Draco scrutinized her hand and the snitch, before reaching out a hand and tugging on it. The golden ball made a loud whirring noise, and Draco tried to pull his hand back. Tried.

"It's stuck!" he hissed. The snitch was now making very loud sounds, which sounded suspiciously like a machine breaking down. It was beginning to lose its luster, and comprehension dawned on Blaise.

"Draco, I think it's breaking down; all the magic must be leaving it! It's got to be trying to escape somehow."

"What do snitches do when they run out of magic? And what does that have to do with my hand?" He was attempting to pull his hand free without waking up the sleeping girl, but was finding it increasingly difficult.

Blaise looked a tad nervous. "The snitches—well, they basically disappear. And it looks like that may not be a binding spell after all, which would explain why our counter-spells didn't work. It's a gluing one, and seeing as the magic from the snitch has to go somewhere—"

"—It's going into the spell!" Draco's eyes were wide with understanding. "So the spell will be strengthened, the snitch will be gone—" he glanced down at Ginny, who was still sleeping peacefully. "—And my hand will be glued to the girl Weasel's."

"What do I have to do to get it off?" Draco let a hint of panic slip into his voice, and Blaise shrugged.

"I dunno, mate. There are way too many spells that glue things to others; she could have picked any of them. She could let the snitch go, and it'd probably take it's magic back, but it doesn't seem like that's happening. So we either wake her up now, or wait till morning and ask her to take it off then."

"Right," Draco said sarcastically. "And when we do, she'll twirl a lock of hair around her finger and say 'of course, luv'! This is Weaselette! You know how she gets; everyone in this school is afraid of her temper!"

"So you're afraid of her?" Blaise winked mischievously. Draco opened his mouth to reply, but a clicking noise startled both of them.

"The door" Blaise mouthed, and he slipped behind the curtains of the next bed. Draco looked around for a moment, before sighing. He closed his eyes, tapped his wand over his head, and performed a Disillusionment charm on himself. Just as he felt the last of the cold trickling down his back and whispered "Nox", a shadow appeared at the foot of Ginny's bed.

It came closer, and closer, until Draco could make out the figure of a girl about Ginny's age. He recognized her as the girl on the train that had sat next to Ginny.

"Gin…Gin!" Tessa crept alongside the bed until she had reached her friends' head, and began to shake her. "Ginny! Wake up!"

The redhead stirred and groaned. "If this is a weekend and you're waking me up when it's still dark, you're a cold, heartless bit—"

"Ginny!" Tessa scolded. "Come on, now, wake up! I had to beg Harry for ages and use my womanly wiles before he let me use his Invisibility Cloak!"

Draco had to hold in a loud snort, and he could see the curtains trembling from where he sat.

"S'okay, Harry's nice—won't kill you…" Ginny snuffled and buried her head even deeper into the pillow.

Tessa leaned down and stage-whispered into her friend's ear. "Ginny Weasley, if you don't get up at this moment, I'll tell everyone about that secret crush you've been harboring for Draco Malfoy all year!"

Draco's eyes flew open, and Blaise began to flail with the curtain. Fortunately, he had the good sense to stop before Tessa could see him. Ginny, however, rolled over and pushed herself up from her elbows. Draco scrambled onto his knees as she rose.

"I do not have a crush on Malfoy!" she said groggily. "He's the ugliest thing I've ever seen, and besides, I don't date people that dabble in the Dark Arts." Draco stiffened at the first comment and just barely heard the last.

Tessa smiled. "Come on, Ginny, I'm sure he doesn't dabble in the Dark Arts." At her friend's disbelieving looks, Tessa tried to modify her words. "Ok, not Dark Arts. Maybe Shadowy Arts, or Grayish Arts…a really dark brown at the most!"

The two girls giggled, and Draco felt bemused, although he hated the fact that they were talking about him behind his back.

"But," Ginny said unexpectedly. "You're only saying that because you're in lurve with his friend, you know, Zabini!"

Tessa snorted, apparently not having noticed the drapes flutter. "Lurve? What kind of a word is that? And I do not like Zabini, where did you hear that from?"

Ginny expertly avoided the last question. "Lurve is actually more like sisterly or brotherly love…I made it up for people who I love like a brother or sister but who aren't related to me!"

Tessa, however, wasn't fooled. "Who told you I liked Zabini?"

Ginny grabbed the pillow and buried her face in it. "Remember, I'm a sick woman! And—Colin told me, he said all you could do was talk about him after we made the bet, the one with Malfoy involved, and he said you said you were hoping you'd lose the bet just so you could ask Blaise out!" Ginny took a deep breath; she'd said everything with no pause in between.

To her surprise, her friend wasn't protesting. In fact, she sat down on the edge of the bed and toyed with her curls.

"Tessa? Tess? Tessie?" Ginny prodded her in the back, until the raven-haired girl turned to face her, eyes wide.

"Can you keep a secret, Gin?" Ginny nodded. "I think Colin and you may be right. Blaise—" Here Ginny starting choking, and Tessa ended up pounding her on the back.

"You called him by his first name!" Ginny wheezed when she'd gotten her breath back. "You don't call Slytherins by their first name, they don't deserve it!"

Tessa rolled her eyes. "I think you need to take a page from Luna's book. Anyways, Blaise seemed really nice when we were on the train. And I've been watching him up until the quidditch match. You know he has a little sister—"

"—Carina." Ginny said it automatically, and clamped a hand over her mouth immediately afterwards. Tessa pried it off and mock-glared.

"How do you know his sister?"

Ginny sighed. "Carina's actually very nice. In fact—and I bet you Zabini doesn't know this—she and I used to sneak off and play tricks on Gred and Forge. I met her at the Ministry, when Dad used to take me there all the time. She's in our year, so during Hogsmeade—you know, when I said that was going to find the Golden Trio? I actually went to find her. She's a really good girl." Ginny finished sheepishly.

Carina Zabini was much like her brother, except for the fact that she was more open about her feelings that Salazar Slytherin had mental issues. Despite all this, she was a Slytherin, and a very pretty one at that. She, like Blaise, had inherited their parent's blue-green eyes and had long, dark-brown hair. The Slytherin boys worshipped her; she dissed them.

Tessa grinned. "That's not a bad thing! I've actually gotten to know her as well, and she's the nicest Slytherin I've ever met! We should get together to got to Hogsmeade at some time…"

"Ginny attempted a smile, but it came out as a yawn. "Gods, I need to sleep. At least there I'm not chained to this stupid bet of ours."

"Oh, no Gin!" Tessa admonished her. "If Malfoy does two more decent things, you have to ask him to go to Hogsmeade with you on Valentine's Day and give him a Christmas present!"

"Two more?" Ginny was a bit more alert now. "We made it three, what happened?"

"He saved your life, Gin! That should have counted as all three, but I'm a nice person, so I've decided to spare you."

"You sounded just like Malfoy for a moment."

"Say it again and I'll curse you." Tessa warned, and jumped off. "Anyway, I just wanted to say, Luna told everyone you're awake, so expect some visitors tomorrow. Madame Pomfrey is letting you out, then too I expect, which means classes right away."

"And you woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me this because?"

"I'm mean like that." Tessa smirked and sauntered off, giggling madly. Ginny heaved a sigh, and at the same time felt the snitch struggle in her hand.

"Fine then, you stupid little thing. You can fly. I'm just hoping Harry and Malfoy don't have a fight over you in my room." She took her wand and tapped lightly on the snitch, which immediately whizzed away, magic and all.

Ginny could have sworn she had felt something soft slip into her hand the moment the snitch disappeared, but the feeling went quickly, so she shrugged it off and turned over. In a few moments, she was asleep.

Draco was deep in thought as he removed the charm from about his body, and as Blaise joined him next to the bed they began the walk back to the Slytherin dorms.

"They made a bet on us." Blaise said finally. "And to think, Carina knew of it! Oh, Gods, we're going to be so humiliated!"

"No." Draco's eyes suddenly lit up. "They will. Blaise, we have to reverse the process! Make them like us, and then we ask them out first! When they find out we've trumped them—"

"—They'll be crushed." Blaise fidgeted nervously. "I don't like it Draco. Not at all. And you heard Reeve, she already likes me."

"And Weaselette would never like me. She's a challenge, that one." Draco admitted. "But that's why I'm going to break her. I need to have my revenge for all the stuff they've said about me. And placing a bet on a Malfoy like I was a common racehorse! The atrocity!"

"Suit yourself." Blaise didn't look happy. "But I'm not doing it. Carina will get a good talking-to, but that's it. Goodnight, Draco."

But his friend was too far into the plotting of his plan to hear.

"Do you hate her?" Blaise said. Draco looked up and found the black-haired Slytherin staring at him with what seemed to be curiosity, but held a hidden meaning as well. "Of course, she's a Weasley!" Draco said flatly.

"Yes, she's a Weasley, but do you hate _her_, not her family name." Blaise was now peering at his friend in a way that made Draco cross. He tapped on the section of wall that served for the Slytherin dorm entrance and let Blaise through.

"Why so many questions?" He said finally. Blaise shrugged.

"You've always been particularly fond of teasing her. Even Potter doesn't get a lashing from your tongue as often as she does. And you've never, ever, used the Chamber against her."

"That's cruel." Draco drew his cloak about him and shivered slightly. He'd only heard about Ginny's experience, but he knew enough to know she had been to hell and back. "I wouldn't tease anyone about that."

"Yes you would."

Draco looked scandalized for a moment, before his brow furrowed. "You know she—fascinates me. Have you ever seen the way she treats her brother? Like he's a little kid, and she's so sarcastic. Even Potter gets a whipping sometimes, so I guess it's true about her crush on him disappearing. Only Granger escapes, and even then it's just barely sometimes." His eyes were wandering over the various items in the hallway as he spoke, so he never noticed Blaise's open mouth.

"And the way she treats Reeve and Creevy and Loony Lovegood, like they're normal people. Reeve not so much, because she's already normal, but the other two—wow. And I've heard she's not the good girl everyone thinks she is. And look at her Quidditch playing! Merlin, did you see that move she did? I know no one's ever seen it yet. And she has this funny habit of twisting her hair and blowing it back, because it always gets in her face and she hates pony-tail holders."

"Draco," Blaise interrupted. "How do you know all this?"

The pale Slytherin seemed to think for a moment, before he shrugged. "I was thinking of a way to get revenge on her before, and I had to watch her to find out. She doesn't seem to have many weaknesses though." He frowned as Blaise placed his hands on Draco's shoulders.

"Mate, you sure have a funny way of showing you're in love."


	5. Glitter Cloud of Doom and Destruction

Thank you to Singing-My-Song, HyperSquishy, Krystal Klear, and Crazy White Rabbit.

Disclaimer: The day I own Harry Potter is the day Draco Malfoy comes to my house wearing all black and with reservations to a fancy restaurant where he'll propose to me. So as you can see, I own Harry Potter in my dreams. But not in real life.

**

* * *

the glitter cloud of doom and destruction  
**

**issalee**

* * *

Colin Creevey was usually very patient. You had to be, especially if you were friends with Ginny Weasley. But his patience was evaporating quickly as he looked at both of his best friends, who were currently dancing on a table in an empty classroom. 

Ginny had gotten out of the Hospital Wing a few days ago, and after she had finally caught up with all her work and even managed to get a little ahead, she'd decided that this Saturday, she was going to celebrate. So she had had Hermione help her in charming several random objects into playing a certain song whenever you touched them, all of them from the Muggle world.

Colin hadn't meant to follow Ginny, really he hadn't, but then she and Tessa had proceeded to lock the door, dump a pile of unsystematic objects on the ground, and picked one up. As soon as the music had started, so had they.

Ginny was actually a very good dancer, as was Tessa, so they were well into the rhythm by the time Colin thought to talk to them.

"Er, Gin? D'you think we could possibly do something else? I mean—I'm a guy, and I'm not supposed to be dancing in empty classrooms."

"Come on, Colin!" Ginny said, in between moves. "If anyone walks in, they'll call you a player and you'll have girls simply swarming all over you."

Colin blushed. "Yeah, but I think I'd rather have another guy friend at least. Can I? Please?"

Tessa smiled at him. "Get Justin!"

Justin Connors was a transfer student from America, and with his boyishly good looks, curly blonde locks, and wide blue eyes, he was supposedly every girls dream. And he was a Gryffindor. The only person who rose above him in looks was—well, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were tied for that spot.

The younger trio had met him over their summer before fifth year, and although they hadn't spent a lot of time with him before then, he was instantly like a best friend to them. But he was also a seventh year, and seeing as he was in training already to become an Auror (yeah, he was that good) he didn't get to spend a lot of time with them.

"Yeah! Get Justin!" Ginny cried out. "And hurry, before we run out of music! Colin grinned at his friends' antics before he unlocked the door and ran out, forgetting to lock it on his way.

The song ended a few minutes after he had left, and Ginny hopped down from the desk. "Pick up that apple, there Tessa. The one with the drawings on it."

Tessa complied, and as the first few strains of a Black-Eyed Peas song came on, Ginny's eyes widened.

"We will dance until we die!" She proclaimed. "And no one can stop us!" With that, she grabbed Tessa's arms and swung around, singing:

"We're on holiday! So let's celebrate! I don't work today! Or the next three days! So let's celebrate! We're on holiday! I don't work today! Nah, pardon me as I celebrate!"

(A/N: That's my own little way of getting past the songfic rule.)

Tessa smirked and raised her arms above her head, taking the moves she'd learned from various dance classes she had taken. Ginny smirked right back and doubled the effort. She had been dancing literally all her life.

"Well, Weaselette, if I knew you were attracted to girls, I would've told the school a long while ago."

Ginny stopped and whirled around to face Draco Malfoy, who was leaning in the doorway. Behind him, Blaise was smiling slightly.

Ginny, who had decided around then that she was very tired of getting angry with this boy, merely smiled. "You're so coy."

Draco looked a little surprised, but he quickly masked it and sauntered into the room. Blaise rolled his eyes at the attitude and followed, then seated himself at a desk. Ginny joined Tess and sat on the table they had been dancing on earlier.

"What exactly were you doing, Weasel?" Ginny feigned surprise and looked around, under the desks and behind her.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, more than a little annoyed. Ginny smiled perkily.

"You said weasel. I suppose you saw one, so I was looking for it. I've found a ferret already, he has the most annoying mind-set."

Even Blaise couldn't resist a snort of laughter at that one, and Draco looked down his nose coldly as Ginny continued.

"You will refer to me as Ginny, else I may have to castrate you and run far, far away." Tessa crossed her eyes at her friend to show that now she was just being silly, and Ginny waved her away with an airy hand. "So?"

Draco seemed to be considering it for a moment, before he pulled his robes closer and uttered, "No."

Ginny shrugged. "Fine then." She grabbed her wand from off the pile of things, jumped off the desk, and began to advance slowly, he mouth curving in a wicked grin. "You should have heeded my warning, Malfoy! _Impotante_!"

Draco let out a cry as a beam of yellow light shot out of her wand and into his—erm—pants. He barreled out of the room as Ginny and Tessa collapsed laughing on the floor, and when he returned a little while later, they were still giggling madly.

"They're still there." He said, with a relieved look on his face. "But what did you do? I'm sure that beam of light did something!"

Ginny wheezed a little as she stood up and headed to the pile. "It's something you should know, Malfoy, but seeing as you're much denser then I thought, I'll tell you. It's a charm, makes you impotent for the better part of the week. You can't ever show that you're—excited."

"WHAT?" Draco seemed highly upset, and this time Blaise joined in on the laughter.

"I told you, mate, you'd do good to be afraid of her." The dark haired Slytherin said. "And I've said it dozens of times, so you've only yourself to blame."

Ginny was inspecting a large quill with peacock feathers on the end. "It reminds me of you, Malfoy." She said, to no one in particular. Draco turned to her, smarting from the spell.

"What does, Weaselette?" She waved her wand around a little and he backed off. But she pointed to the feather. "Someday, I think I'd like to make you less arrogant."

Draco snorted. "That's the day I go up to Potter and tell him he's a great guy and I'd like to be his friend."

"I'll remember that," Ginny said quietly. Then she shrugged off her robes, which were making her feel very sweaty. "So, Malfoy, what did you come in here for anyway?" There was no answer, and she turned around irritably. "What?"

Draco was staring quite avidly at her body in a way that clearly suggested he was checking her out. Ginny checked herself. She was wearing a normal enough white skirt that she had borrowed for Tessa purely from curiosity. It was made of puffskein fur, and was very soft. Her shirt wasn't abnormal either. It was a black turtleneck she'd gotten over the summer from a relative, and hadn't bothered to wear until then. But the boots were high heeled, black and white, and went up to her knees.

"What?" she said again, tugging at her sleeves. Draco seemed to be coming out of a very deep stupor very slowly.

"New clothes, Weasley? Can your family afford that?" He said finally. Ginny's face flared a brilliant red, and she put her hands on her hips.

"As a matter of fact Malfoy, no. These are a little old, and if you had bothered to keep a social status over the summer, you would've known that my father has gotten a raise."

"Great," Draco said, nodding absently. He noticed Ginny's mouth swinging wide open and he started. "What? What did I say?"

"Mate," He turned to Blaise, who looked ashen. "What did I say?" Blaise shook his head and lifted one eyebrow in that I'm-A-Slytherin-And-Thus-I-Know-How-To-Pull-Of-This-Sexy-But-Dark-Look.

"You just congratulated Weasley on the fact that her father had a raise. You never congratulate anyone." After a moment, Blaise adopted a hurt look. "Not even me! See, what did I tell you a few nights back?"

Draco glared at him. He'd cast Blaise a dark look immediately after that vile statement had been uttered, and walked off to his Head Boy dorm without a word. The next day, they had agreed to disagree, and hadn't mentioned the matter since.

Luckily, Ginny didn't seem to notice. She had gotten over the shock of Draco' words and had leaned over the pile once more. She surface with something that looked strangely like a candle, but was twirling and sending out a spray of bright colors.

"I'm keeping this when we're done." She murmured, and Tessa nodded. The music came softly at first, but Ginny was delighted to hear a song with a soft, slow beat that she could really move to.

"Tessa, you up for it?" Ginny didn't miss the glance her best friend sent to the two Slytherins, but shrugged. "Ignore them. Mal-Ferret will be too busy admiring himself to say a word, and Zabini—" She looked carefully at Blaise, studying him. "Zabini's ok."

Blaise felt a slight blush creep into his cheeks. Not many compliments were directed his way. Draco nudged him and smirked.

But Ginny and Tessa were already dancing. Actually, both Draco and Blaise would have described it as flowing. Even in the most fragile of moments, though, Draco couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"Where'd you get the money to dance like that, Weaselette?" Ginny sensed the hidden question and smiled faintly, although she kept moving in the almost fluid-like way.

"While we were in Egypt, I snuck out while everyone else was sleeping." She arched her back slightly and continued. "Late night belly-dancing and tango classes are the best ones to take."

Draco couldn't help but let a smile quirk across his features. The little girl weasel surprised him every day. Ginny straightened and looked at him in mild surprise.

"You can smile?" Draco winked, an evil gleam in his eyes.

"That and much, much more, Weaselette." She grinned back, just as the door opened all the way and Colin walked in with Justin behind him.

"Ginny!" Justin said suddenly, eyes twinkling as he took in the scene. "My God, Ginny, are you being hit on?" he turned to Draco and Blaise as though he were going to chastise them, but instead a hopeful look alighted upon his face. "May I help?"

Ginny laughed and waltzed over to him. She put her arms around his neck and led him to the middle of the room. "Come now, Justin, dance with us or I'll hurt you, so help me."

Draco felt a pang of jealousy and winced. _I do not like Weaselette. I do not like Weaselette. I do not like—hey, that's too low to be her waist arsehole!_

Blaise could see his friends' inner turmoil and smiled. "Hey, mate be a little less obvious, please? Creevey here is staring." Colin turned a bright red and turned away while Draco growled.

"Let's go." The blond-haired Slytherin didn't think he could stand to watch Ginny dancing with anyone but him. He cringed as that thought went through, grabbed Blaise's arm, and left.

Ginny broke away from Justin. "What's with him?" She wondered out loud. "You know he congratulated me on something?"

"No!" Justin and Colin gasped at the news. Ginny nodded, then grasped Justin's hand.

"Oh, save me, Mr. Auror, save me from the Malfoy Madness!" Justin grinned and kissed her hand.

"I'd love to, Ginny, but Elsa wouldn't permit it." Ginny nodded, an understanding smile on her face. Elsa was Justin's Ravenclaw girlfriend of two years.

Tessa suddenly snapped her fingers. "That's two decent things, Gin! One more and you owe Malfoy a few things!"

Ginny flushed. "MERLIN, NO! I can't believe that prat, he must have known!"

"I think you need to rest, Ginny dear." Justin steered her towards the door, and conjured up a pack of tranquilizers, which he threw at Colin and Tessa. "Maybe those would help."

Tessa gave him a meaningful look and dropped the packet on the desk. "Let's just got to the common room, ok?"

* * *

Draco was slouching in a plushy armchair in his Head Boy's dorms. Blaise was lying on the floor and trying to keep in his very obvious urge to question Draco on what had happened. Just as he had worked up enough courage to ask, Draco spoke. 

"I don't know what came over me. I just saw her with Connors, and it was like all I could see was red." He sighed. "Red like her hair."

"It's more of an auburn, actually."

Draco scowled and buried his head into his arm. "Why did you give her the password, Blaise? Why?"

Carina Zabini leaned over her brother's best friend and kissed him on the cheek. "So I could drive you to near madness, silly! And like I was saying before, Ginny's hair is auburn."

"How did you know we were talking about Ginny?" Draco asked suspiciously, raising his head once more. Carina shrugged.

"It's quite easily, especially since after I came in she was with that awfully cute guy, what's his face, Connors, and they were just talking about you. Ginny can mimic you very well you know." She mused. "Ow!"

Blaise had grabbed his sister and pulled her down to floor level like him. "Now, then, Car, why didn't you tell me you were friends with the littlest Weasley?" He tweaked her nose and she pushed his hands away.

"Because, oh brother of mine, you would have instantly forbidden me to continue our companionship, seeing as at that time you two were still taking orders from the ferret's father." Blaise looked over to Draco to see how he would react to the name, but to his surprise, Draco was smiling slightly.

"Yeah, she spends time with Weasley all right. What else could give you all that spunk?" Carina stuck her tongue out at him, and he smirked. "Right, Carina, so very mature."

The younger girl threw her hands up. "Oh, and I suppose sneaking into a hospital room in the dead of night and shamelessly eavesdropping on the conversation of two sixth year girls qualifies as mature!"

Draco and Blaise stiffened, the latter speaking first. "How did you know?"

Carina waggled her eyebrows. "Dearest brother, I took my lessons from you, remember?" They gave her scalding looks, and she sighed. "Ok, ok. Draco's got to be much more careful about where he puts his invisibility cloaks. I was heading for the kitchens with it on when I saw you two sneaking about."

"You used my invisibility cloak?"

"You were sneaking around at night!"

Carina rolled her eyes. "Oh, Merlin, you guys need to lighten up. And now, as I was about to say, I don't want to spend ages on this. So I'll make it nice and simple." She turned to Draco who shrank back. He was sure that along with Ginny's attitude, some of her insanity had brushed off on the girl Slytherin also.

"Draco, you love Ginny." She looked at her brother. "You love Tessa. You will all live happily ever after, and Draco and Ginny will have pink-haired babies who I'll be made the godmother of, and Blaise and Tessa's kids will have these weird rainbow eyes, and them I'll disown."

"My God, she's mad." Blaise scurried behind the bed and peered over it. Draco let out a snort of laughter, and Carina fumed.

"Fine then! I'll just go tell Ginny that you've been spreading rumors about her and her family, and then we'll see if there's enough left of you to laugh!"

While Blaise paled, Draco quirked an eyebrow. "Would you really, Carina? I don't seem to remember it being easy for a Slytherin to talk to a Gryffindor."

"Oh please." She flipped her hair. "How do you think the Gryffindors managed to sneak into your rooms to plant that man-eating plant? And all those other jokes they played; well, they didn't just guess where you would be at those precise times!"

Draco held up his hands. "Ok, peace, peace. But I don't love Weaselette. At the most, I'd say it's a minor crush, and after I mentally berate myself for a while, I'll have forgotten all about her!"

"You two are so dense! Don't you know when the right person comes knocking you have to answer the door? YOU CAN'T GO AROUND AND PLAY EVERYTHING THAT WEARS A SKIRT FOREVER YOU KNOW!" With that, Carina spun on her heel and stalked out.

Blaise fell back onto the floor with a light thud and smiled. "This from the girl who has a boyfriend for every day of the week."

Draco smirked. "Come on, let's go find her. She may prove a valuable information source."

* * *

"GINEVRA TERESA WEASLEY! MOVE YOUR ARSE IN HERE NOW!" 

Ginny shuffled from foot to foot nervously. She glanced at Tessa and Colin, who were peeking at her from behind chairs. Not to hide from whoever was bellowing at her, but if Ginny bellowed back…

"I'm down in the common room, Ron." She called up the stairs. Moments later, Harry came down the stairs and immediately doubled over in laughter. Hermione followed, although she bit her cheeks to keep a smile from forming.

"What did you do, Ginny?" Colin asked. The redhead shrugged.

"I dunno. It could have been the itching powder in his underwear. Or d'you think it was the ketchup packets under his sheets? Maybe it was—"

"GINNY!"

Said girl winced. "Did it all happen at once?" Harry managed to nod, and she let a faint smile cross her face. "So he'll be a multi-colored horror with a few animal parts, I guess."

"You'd better go up and fix it." Hermione said. "He seemed pretty upset, and he has feathers and he's molting all over the floor."

"Ah." Ginny said, nodding wisely. "The Canary Creams. Gred and Forge are lifesavers for coming up with that one." She waved goodbye to her friends and started up the staircase to the boy's dorms. She took a deliberately long time, so that by the time she had reached the top, Ron had called for her about three more times.

She pulled open the door and stepped inside, hands on hips. "Now really, Ronald, what was this about my arse? It's—" she stopped, and a choking noise made its way past her lips, followed by full, blown-out laughter.

Ronald Weasley was every single color of the rainbow and then some. He was sporting bright pink wings in the place of his arms, and a neon green beak. His face was covered in fur, his back was soaked in ketchup, and he was itching madly at his rear end.

"Fix it, Ginny." He said, his voice deathly low. "Or else…"

"Oh—my—God!" Was all she managed, tears streaming down her face. Apparently, she had just noticed the beaded dreadlocks he was also sporting and his webbed ducks feet.

Ron finally snapped. Awkwardly holding his wand in one wing, he pointed it at her and cried out, "You want to laugh, eh? Rictumsempra!" Ginny had her wand out and shouted out the only spell she could think of. "Sparsemtpa!"

Ginny's laughter became louder and more strained, while a cloud appeared over her and Ron's heads. It thundered for only a second, before mounds and mounds of glitter rained down upon them. Panicking, the two opened the door and practically slid down the stairs, Ginny giggling, and Ron squawking.

Of course, people stared at them when they entered. But soon the whole Gryffindor common room was in chaos as everyone ran for cover from the Glitter Cloud of Doom and Devastation.

They spilled out into the corridors, rushing down stairs and heading for any sanctuary they could think of.

Ginny was having trouble running, as she was still laughing like mad and she had lost track of Ron or any of her friends. She stumbled about for a moment, and stopped to get her bearings. This proved to be a mistake, as the GCDD halted just above her and began to rain down on her heavily.

She screamed in frustration and attempted to clear her vision, but she couldn't see, and she was still giggling. Ginny was running out of breath, and everyone else was just running. Suddenly, she felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her waist and draw her towards a chiseled body. The GCDD swooped away, presumably to torment some other poor kid.

Ginny giggled helplessly, and tried to choke out some words. "Ach—laugh—charm—brother—Ron—counter—cloud!"

"What's she saying?"

If Ginny could have stopped laughing, she would have groaned. She twisted around and came face to face with Draco Malfoy, who smirked.

"I don't know, Blaise, but from the way she can't stop that awful cackling, I suppose she's been hit with a tickling spell."

"TAKE IT OFF!" She managed to yell, before succumbing to the magic once more. The glitter was getting into her mouth now and she made a little choking noise. Draco quickly took his wand and muttered the counter-curse. Ginny fell to the ground instantaneously and took deep, gasping breaths.

"I'll (breath) kill (breath) Ron (breath) I (breath) swear (breath) it (breath)!" She coughed. Draco kneeled down and wiped glitter from her face with his cloak hem, and smiled—actually smiled! Ginny gaped in astonishment.

"Nice cloud, Red…I haven't seen magic like that in ages. Where'd you learn it?" She came back to reality and nodded dumbly.

"Er, yes, nice…I found it in a book, in the Restricted Section." Blaise looked surprised. "Pince let you in?"

Ginny shrugged. "Harry leaves his invisibility cloak in the most obvious places, I mean, really."

Blaise and Draco exchanged a glance, and she rolled her eyes. "No, I will NOT tell you where he leaves it. Now, can you please help me get this glitter off? I'm very sure Scourgify doesn't work."

"And how are you so sure?" Blaise asked curiously. Ginny's grin cared the hell out of him, but her next words even more so. "I am not a nice little girl. Every single one of my brother's has glitter in their room, all of it pink, and their beds are enchanted to wake them up every morning by saying, 'Hello, Princess!' Then they sing 'I Feel Pretty' for an hour straight. They haven't found the counter-charm yet."

Draco and Blaise backed away very, very slowly, and she instantly adopted her You-Know-You-Can't-Help-But-Love-Me look. "Please? I swear I'll be your friend forever and ever!" They didn't look convinced, so she took a deep breath, and laid down her big guns. "And I'll give you the password to Gryffindor Tower for a week."

They welcomed her with open arms.


	6. Method To Her Madness

Special thanks to Singing-My-Song, Enjambed Caesuras (I assure you, they will NOT be together by Valentine's Day. I want to make this as difficult as possible for them) and just some random girl. 

Disclaimer: Merlin, standard disclaimers apply, ok? (What _are_ the standard disclaimers anyway?)

* * *

**the method to her madness**

**issalee **

* * *

"I feel pretty, oh so pretty, oh so pretty, and witty, and—not gay!" Ginny whirled around the Head Boy's room, her arms stretched out in front of her as though she were holding a partner. 

Draco watched her from where he was sitting on his bed next to Blaise. "I pity her brothers. They have to listen to this for an hour straight."

Ginny smirked, and Draco was surprised to see that she was rather good at doing it. "There are only two things in life that are unexpected." She said suddenly.

Blaise was the first to cave. "And what are they?"

She quickly leapt onto the bed, forcing them both to the floor, where they gazed at her in surprise. "Me! And glitter!" Her hair was still full of the stuff, but she had managed to get most of it off, so that her skin only shimmered a little and her clothes—well, they shimmered a lot.

"She should have been in Slytherin," Blaise said, awed by Ginny's manic ways. Draco nodded dumbly in agreement, and they both started as Ginny's face appeared over the edge of the bed. She giggled.

"Oh, calm down you two. I'm only like this because Ron has been acting a little crazier than usually, and I needed something to take my temper out on. Thus, your little impotence problem. Sorry about that, by the way."

Draco's words were a bit sluggish as he pushed himself up. "S'okay, as long as it's temporary. Don't you have to get back to your friends, Weasley?"

Ginny sighed. "I suppose so. And they'd never believe I spent the time being helped by the two supposedly awfullest Slytherins in the world, so I guess I'll have to tell them I was being molested." She jumped off the bed and sprinted.

Draco and Blaise took a moment to react, but when they did it was with shocking speed. Robes were forgotten, wands were tucked into jean pockets, and loud curses were uttered.

Ginny found that she had been running quite a lot that day, and it was hard to keep her balance when there were mounds of glitter everywhere and she was wearing knee-high boots. Despite this fact, she kicked up the glitter and ran like hell.

Now would be a really good time for her best friends to show up and take her away…

"Oi! Weasley!" Blaise and Draco were catching up, and she sighed.

"Some friends I have!" Ginny called to no one in particular. She decided now would be a good time for her to disappear, and looked around.

"Excellent!" she whispered. There was her landmark; a picture of one of the founders of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin. They were far enough into the Slytherin dungeons for her to see this, and as she glanced down at the glitter, she wondered vaguely where the cloud was.

Stopping, she turned to Salazar's portrait and flashed him a smile. "Sal, ole buddy ole pal of mine!"

"Go away, girl. I've told you already, I don't like you." He stated dryly, his (she thought to be) waist length black hair shaking slightly. But he was smirking.

Ginny glanced down the hallway, and saw she could make out the wands of the two following her. "Sal, but I love you, really I do, so I guess we'll talk later. Godric Sucked Eggs!" Salazar rolled his eyes, but his portrait whizzed upwards. Ginny scrambled through the hole, and pulled it down, just as Draco and Blaise appeared. She knew they wouldn't dare rip this portrait apart, and so she sat back on her heels.

Ginny had used this portrait and many others of the founders' sometimes. They were located in odd places around the school, and she enjoyed talking to them. She'd even managed to forgive Salazar for the Basilisk, as soon as he told her he'd only put it there to protect the school and hadn't meant for her to get hurt.

"Why was the Mal-Ferret chasing you?" The portrait was double-sided, so that only Salazar could see both inside and out. He had also managed to pick up a few of her—endearments for certain people, and as he was The Slytherin Prince, he would use them regardless of their house.

"I said a few things about molesting, and Ron."

"Ah." Salazar nodded. "And do you plan on going out there anytime soon? The exit here is still blocked, as that Headmaster of yours hasn't gotten round to cleaning out those Chizpurfles. I'm sure as soon as they chew through his wand, he'll notice."

"Be nice, Sal." Ginny mused over her situation. "You know, I think this would be much funnier if I didn't think Malfoy and Zabini might actually hex me. And I can't even go to the common rooms, seeing as Ron might curse me into oblivion, so Luna will have to sneak me into her room tonight."

Salazar leaned back, and Ginny fancied she could see his almost pointed goatee quiver. "I think you would have been much better suited in my house."

Ginny frowned. "I'd like to think that my cunning was over-shadowed by the awesome amount of bravery I have." At Salazar's disbelieving look, she crossed her arms. "Oh, and having the nerve to sneak in Slytherin dorms and hex something almost every night isn't showing bravery?"

"Not impressed." Salazar waved his hand in an airy motion, and Ginny bristled.

"How about the time I managed to slip that Curly-Q potion into Snape's drink and he had to walk around with curly, bouncy, blonde hair for a month?"

"That, I can let slip on the argument for."

Ginny leaned an ear against the wall, and smiled. "I think they're gone now. Probably heading to find Tessa or Colin and force my whereabouts out of them."

"And doubtless, they will give it up."

Ginny gave him the evil eye. "I'm sure it was you that enchanted the mirrors in the Wizarding World, you know, the _cruel_ ones." Without another word, she pulled the portrait up and peeked out. There was no one there, and she grinned as she hopped out.

"Freedom!" Salazar's portrait closed, and he smirked lightly.

"Don't be so sure, girl." Ginny turned in time to see the beam of blue light coming towards her, and ducked. The magic bounced harmlessly of Salazar's portrait, but he scowled nonetheless.

Blaise was heading for her, and Draco was nowhere in sight. Ginny took a position like a runner's starting one, and was off again. This time it was harder to maneuver, as she wasn't sure if Draco was hiding somewhere or not and she couldn't slow done long enough to have a look with Blaise just behind her.

"Weasley, slow down!" he called.

Ginny came to a staircase, and glanced behind her. Blaise was too slow to hide the triumphant smile on his face, and Ginny jumped on the banister.

"EAT ARSE, ARSE-HOLE!"

Blaise stared in undisguised fear as the redhead slid down the balustrade, giggling madly.

She came to a stop, and tumbled off the railing, saved from injury only by a mound of glitter. At least, she thought it was a mound of glitter, before it gave a muffled "oof!"

Ginny sighed. Her clothes were ruined, and now she was going to kill her hair again. She stuck her body from torso up inside of the little hill, and slid down it. Out came a first-year…then another…and another…

"Why, you've made a chain!" Ginny exclaimed, as they all came tumbling out. The little glitter-kids (that's what they looked like to her) gave her gap-toothed smiles.

"Weasley!" Blaise was running down the stairs as best as he could, and Ginny spared a smile for the children. "Be safe, stay in school, don't get Dark Marks, now run off and scrub off that glitter!" And she dashed off again.

This time, it was much harder to get rid of Blaise. He was too close to her, and she couldn't see any upcoming stairways. She only hoped she could outrun him, but he didn't seem to be getting any tired.

"Are you using magic?" She called back. He shook his head, and she thought for a moment. "Steroids, then?" She said, as she noticed the hallway was leading to a four way split.

"Hah!" Draco leapt out a few feet in front of her, and Ginny knew she was doomed. There was no way to go besides forwards or backwards, and she suddenly had a brainstorm.

"Going down!" she fell to her knees and due to the amount of glitter (which is slippery, trust me) went through Draco's legs, which had been planted firmly apart. Unfortunately, she hadn't accounted for him grabbing a hold of her arms, which had been above her head. This ended up very, very badly.

"Get off me!" Ginny spat out a mouthful of her hair and glared irately at the Slytherin boy, whose clothes seemed to be tangled with hers. Draco smirked.

"Not a chance, Weasley. I'm rather comfortable here." Blaise arrived beside then, and had amazingly not broken one sweat.

"Alien." Ginny muttered, and shoved Draco off her. She sat on the ground cross-legged as the boys looked coolly down at her.

"That wasn't a very nice thing to do, Weaselette." Draco said finally. "And after all the decent things we'd just done for you." Ginny's eyes widened.

"Decent things? Holy—" She was cut off as the band on her wrist began to glow brightly, and she slid a few inches across the floor. Blaise and Draco exchanged a glance, which went unnoticed by the redhead, who was currently scrabbling for one of them as the magic dragged her backwards.

"Don't just stand there! Help me!" She managed to latch onto Draco's left leg before the magic erupted full force, and as she began to speed down the corridor, Draco fell down and swung his arms about wildly, looking for a hold, and ended up grabbing Blaise's leg. The black-haired boy yelped as he too was pulled down, and they began to race down the hallway.

Even going at what had to be seventy miles an hour, Ginny had to laugh at the look on Malfoy's face when he turned his head back. "You should be surprised more often! You look cute!" she informed him.

Draco clung to Blaise a little. "Cute—is not in my vocabulary." He had just realized if he let go, he would probably end up spinning into something very, very hard. "Where are we going?"

She managed an awkward shrug. "I suppose to where Tessa is! She and I had a bet—and it's just been fulfilled." Her face fell a little as she looked up at him, and Draco felt a pang of sadness which he quickly brushed away. She peered over his shoulder and administered a very odd wave to Blaise, who looked as if he was going to throw up at any second.

"Brace yourself!"

"Why?" Both boys called back.

She looked sick. "Well, I've always wanted to fly without a broomstick, although…not in this way." They soon found out what she meant as they were hurtled into space by the impetus of the magic. Ginny let out a squeal of undisguised glee as they were separated.

Blaise let out a very unmanly shriek; he instantly grabbed a hold of a large gargoyle jutting out from the wall, and was clinging to it like mad. Draco braced himself for an impact, wondering dimly why Ginny didn't seem worried and was laughing rather hard.

It never came.

He looked down and was surprised to see the floor coming up slowly. They were floating gently downwards. The young Gryffindor tweaked his nose as soon as they touched ground, almost affectionately. "See? No harm done."

He growled. "Don't push your luck, Weasley." He looked up at the stairs they had just bypassed as he straightened up. "Nice ride."

"Hi guys!" Ginny waved, and as he turned he could see what seemed to be a wave of Gryffindors hurrying towards them. All were covered in glitter, and Draco couldn't be bothered to make them out. One of the glitter-people ran forward and clutched at Ginny's hands.

"Ginny! You do not flood half of Hogwarts with glitter, ok? " It was Hermione, and by the looks of it, she hadn't escaped much of the Glitter Cloud's attack. "The teachers are going mad! You are so lucky no one but us knows it was you?"

"I did it!" Ginny let out a little gasp and looked around. "Me? And who is 'us', Hermione?"

Someone shook themselves and after a moment, it became apparent that it was Tessa. The corners of her mouth were crinkled in a smile, and she winked at Ginny, motioning at the also-glowing band on her hand.

"It seems you've been spending time with Malfoy? And seeing as he's always around B—Zabini, he should be here too, right?" Her eyes held a hint of worry, but Ginny nodded cheerfully and pointed a finger up. Every head followed—and every jaw became slack.

"You did that to him?" Colin's muffled voice emerged as they all watched Blaise struggle to hang onto the head of the stone statue. Ginny nodded happily, and they all looked at her again.

"When did you become so mad?" Someone she recognized as Justin said. At this, Ginny became upset. "I am not mad!"

Then Ron decided to show up, covered in glitter and squawking.

Draco's eyes bugged out of his head and he stared for a long, long time. He seemed to be having trouble breathing, and when Ginny tried to use Accio to summon out whatever he may have been choking on, he collapsed into laughter. Real, flat-out laughter, which left everyone else shocked. Everyone but Hermione, that is.

"Oh, and turning your brother into a bird/wizard hybrid is not a sign of madness?"

"I'm only trying Harry's approach on life, jeezus!" Ginny yelled crossly. "You all don't have to throw a nervy b about it!"

Harry, the Boy-Who-Actually-Reveled-In-Glitter, stopped off from where he was excitedly eyeing his glittery body and looked at her in shock. "My approach in life? What's my approach of life?"

Looking for all the world like a schoolteacher dealing with less than average kids, Ginny explained. "Someone makes you mad, get your revenge through either homicidal ways, or near-homicidal ways."

Draco began laughing even harder at this, as Harry's mouth dropped open. "What? I do not use that method!"

Ginny sighed. "So then what the hell was killing Voldemort about? Was it an accident that your wand decided to spew off the exact curses needed to kill him?"

"No!" Harry sputtered. "That was planned! But what—" Ginny interrupted him.

"And that time when Fred and George turned some of our makeshift summer quidditch team into bats just before our final match; was turning them into Barbie dolls that couldn't say anything besides 'I still don't know Ken's cheating on me with Malibu Brad' a mistake?"

"No, but—"

"—Face it Harry." Ginny shook her head. "You're mad, and I've just decided to follow in your footsteps. Your manic, crazed, blood-smudged footsteps."

There was a small silence, before Harry let a slow smile creep across his face. "You're right. You're absobloodylutely right!" Ginny grinned as well, and Harry took her hand.

"Shall we go plot new ways to scare the world together?" There was a gleam in his eyes that had always been hidden, but now everyone shrank back as it became apparent. It reminded them of Dumbledore's twinkle, one that had brought many brave men to their knees. Ginny accepted the hand.

"Surely, we must have our share of sadistic pleasures!" And they skipped off, pulling at Ron's feathers on the way.

"My God." Tessa muttered. "She is mad. Or that Cheering Charm I put on her this morning still hasn't worn off." Draco wheezed as he sat up, and the Ron-Creature turned to him, beak clacking.

"Why were you with my sister?" He looked ready to kill, and Draco decided it was best to lie and get it over with—and avoid a very imminent death by beak slaughter.

"I wasn't. She ran into me, and Blaise, who I must be getting down now, Weasel." He snorted lightly. "I suppose I should change it to Birdbrain. Even as a bird, you still don't have style." He eyed the pink wings disdainfully, and took his wand from his back pocket.

"Wingardium Leviosa," he drawled, and even though Blaise refused to let go of the hulking rock at first, he finally got him down, and the two walked off, Blaise totally red in the face. After a moment, Ron looked down at his friends and blushed.

"I know I should have asked Ginny this, but does anyone know how to turn me back to normal?"

Sunday had been surprisingly quiet and peaceful day.

But that was mostly because Problem A and Problem B, also referred to as Ginevra Teresa Weasley and Harry James Potter had been missing all day. First years were delighted that they only had to worry about the Slytherins killing them now.

Their friends had been very worried, although they had a lot on their mind with the recent Massive Glitter Cleanup Operation. The Glitter Cloud of Death and Demolition (yeah, I know I changed the name, but I'll be doing that a lot) had managed to slip away and no one really knew where it was. Although the big piles of glitter had been cleared away, everything in Hogwarts now had a…sparkly look to it.

But now it was Monday, and as Tessa filed into her first period Charms class (which was also for seventh years) she worried. Neither Ginny nor Harry was in sight, and she was sure they wouldn't miss classes. Not because they wanted to, but because Hermione was probably holding something of theirs hostage until the end of the week.

"Hey, Tess, why the sad face?" Said girl looked up and smiled in relief as Ginny sat down next to her. She could see Harry doing the same thing across the room next to Hermione and Ron.

"I was worried, Gin!" Tessa whispered. "Where were you yesterday? What were you and Harry doing?"

"Snogging and stuff." At Tessa's near comatose look, Ginny giggled. "Just kidding. But do you know how boring weekends in this bloody school can be without mayhem? Whatever did we do last year?"

"Er, cause minor chaos?"

"Exactly." Ginny nodded. "But me and Harry are going to cause major destruction! We've been plotting. And lurking about in the kitchens and in the Restricted Section of the library and the Room of Requirement. Junk like that."

"Lurking?"

"Yes." Ginny smiled evilly. "Lurking. Let's just say that weekends—and a few weekdays—will be much more exciting here at Hogwarts." Tessa shook her head in despair.

"And I suppose you and Harry have it all planned out?" She was surprised when Ginny said no. "So what's wrong?"

Ginny traced her desk's frame. "We need help. You will, I know, and so will Colin. Ron and Hermione will need to be convinced, and we don't have time. Justin, of course. And we need some people who can easily get access to places that could be very hard for us to get to. Someone that it would be hard to pin as part of our plan."

"Why are you doing this again?" Tessa asked, as Ginny's eyes roamed the classroom.

"Because Harry says he wants to go out with a bang, and I don't want to be bored this year." Tessa followed Ginny's gaze, and found that the redhead was looking at two very handsome Slytherin's, both of whom looked bored as they waved off Pansy and another gaggle of girls.

"So, who are these people you're going to use?"

Draco tilted his head slightly, and in doing so, caught Ginny's eye. He smiled, of all things, and it quickly changed into a smirk as he turned back to the girls. Ginny shook herself and looked to Harry, who was already grinning broadly and looking in the same direction. Ginny turned to Tessa.

"My friend, it is time to bring the snakes into the lion's den."


	7. The Slythindor Room

Thanks very much to _xxaishiteru, light barrer, icemicearenice, Emilie, bella, Hyper Squishy, and TrippyGirl20051. _

Disclaimer: MERLIN I DISCLAIM! Cheese and rice, you'd think the police did this on purpose, just to fill up their jail cells.

**

* * *

the slythindor room**

**issalee **

**

* * *

Ginbug!**

**How are you?**

**She's fine, Gred, otherwise we wouldn't be writing to her.**

**But she may have hurt herself while the letter was on its way, and we'd only just know.**

**Ah, good point there, Gred. So, Ginbug, anything new happening at Hogwarts?**

**We heard from Lee that his sister sent him a letter saying you flooded Hogwarts with glitter.**

**We're so proud!**

**Would you happen to know if Snape was caught in any of it? He'd have to wash his hair then, right?**

**Wishful thinking. Anyways, I bet you you're getting a letter from Bill soon. Says he and Fleur are getting married, and in June too! That means I win the bet.**

**What? I was the one who said they were getting married in June, Forge, not you!**

**What a tangled web of lies we weave, Gred.**

**Burn in hell.**

**Language! Mum would be very upset to know we were letting Ginny hear any of this. She thinks we're a bad influence. Us, I say, us!**

**I agree totally with you, Forge. So, Ginbug, d'you have the pictures of the results of Objective: Revenge on The Redhead? Forge and me are waiting…**

**I hope it turned out nice. Lee mentioned his sister said something about a giant bird thing in school today. If it's not Ron, maybe it'll abduct him then.**

**And Malfoy.**

**Yes, definitely Malfoy. Speaking of which, Gin-Gin, you haven't told us about what the Mal-Ferret's done. **

**We're tired of waiting**

**And we need ideas for the shop; it's another twenty Galleons if you can come up with a bestseller. **

**OI! Ruddy stupid owl, Errol's gone and launched himself into that case of Itching Lotion. New product, don't you know.**

**We'd better fish him out. Bye, Ginbug!**

**Love,**

**Gred and Forge**

* * *

Ginny smiled as she tucked the letter away into her robes. She'd have plenty of things to inform her brothers about this year… 

"What are you so happy about?" Tessa stole her friend's food and smiled widely. "The post owls only just gone and left you with two letters."

"One of them's from Gred and Forge. I think I know what the next one is, though." She opened the fancily decorated envelope, and a little bugling noise came from the inside, drawing the attention of the people closet to her.

_**

* * *

You are cordially invited to the celebration of union between**_

_**Bill Weasley**_

_**And **_

_**Fleur Delacoeur**_

**_On the 31st of June._**

* * *

Ginny read the first part out loud, then glanced over at Hermione, Tessa, Ron, Colin, and Harry, who had all gotten the same letter. "I suppose you're going too, guys." 

Hermione scanned the letter quickly. "It says you have to bring a date, and you have until February 20th to RSVP." She flushed, and glanced discreetly at Ron, who was attacking his spaghetti. "I wonder who I'll go with?"

Harry sighed, and found his mind wandering to Ginny as a date…but she was starting to put him off now. Especially with the upcoming hilarious (and somewhat violent) pranks they were planning, she was beginning to fade more and more from the recesses of his mind.

"Harry! Woohoo!" said redhead waved her fork in his face, her nose wrinkled cutely. "I was asking you when we'd put Part One of Objective: Capture the Flag in place."

Fred and George had always told Ginny that she out to codename her plans, as if they were found out, no one should be able to decipher what she was plotting to do. She had told Harry this, and he had incorporated it into his idea.

"We'd better do it before our first lesson after lunch, which is…Potions. Crap," he said, placing emphasis on the last word. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Come now, Snape isn't all that bad. All you have to do is be a lower grade genius in his Advanced Potions class, and you'll be fine!" Harry gaped slightly, and she smiled back. Advanced Potions was taken in the same period as normal seventh year potions, although they were put in a separate room, and left to themselves for most of the period.

"So you'll talk to Snake One and Snake Two, then?" Harry said, as nonchalantly as possible while Hermione and Ron looked on with interest. Ginny nodded fervently.

"Oh yes, and Tessa too. I'm sure the Snakes will say yes, although we may have to do a bit of convincing first." She looked over to the Slytherin table until she caught Draco's eye, and gave him a wicked grin. He shriveled, a little.

"And I've got Carina Zabini in on the plot too. She's a great gal, I know you've heard of her. The odd one out in Slytherin, but her looks make up for it."

Harry steepled his fingers, leaned back, and said in a low voice. "Eeeexcellent."

* * *

Ginny wasn't surprised that Draco and Blaise were avoiding her like the plague, and she knew Tessa wasn't either. But she was surprised to see that as soon as Snape had left them with the name of a potion and secured the room, the two boys had basically huddled in a corner of the room. 

"Are they plotting, d'you think?" Tessa whispered. Ginny shook her head.

"No way. I think Snake One and Snake Two are freaked out by me, but Snake One is a pompous airhead and is just trying to convince Snake Two that no, I will not blow their heads off and hang them from a ceiling by their thumbs."

"Would you?"

"…Pass me the St. Mary's wort, would you?" Ginny grinned as her friend sighed in exasperation. "Come now, Tessa, we're supposed to be preparing an Anti-Aging Potion from memory, and we certainly can't do this if you won't trust me."

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "Thirty Galleons says you aren't going to make the potion now, because you've got it all made." Ginny pulled a face.

"That's not fair! Gah, you know me too well!" She pulled out four flasks from her robe, and poured the contents of two of them into the cauldron she and Tessa were sharing. "Come on, now, let's go bargain."

The two made their way across the room, ignoring the looks they were receiving from the six other pairs. They stopped in front of Draco, who was looking at them with disdain.

"Where's Zabini?" Ginny asked cheerfully. Draco glared at her, with his very best Go-Away-Before-I-Avada-You-_Without_-A-Wand look. "Under the table."

Ginny didn't flinch. She bent down and peered at Blaise, who tried to stand up but ended up hitting his head on the table. As he swore quietly under his breath, Ginny edged closer to him.

"Zabini, I need your help. Before you say no, it involves pranking, torturing all of Hogwarts-kind, and a whole bunch of sneaking. Which you're good at." She added the last part for accent. Blaise stared at her.

"You strung me from a gargoyle."

"Not my fault. Magic." She said brightly.

"You made me run through Hogwarts like a madman."

"Not like you broke a sweat, you lucky, lucky Sna—er, dog. Anything else?" Blaise sighed and shook his head.

"Merlin, you really should have been in Slytherin. But it involves sneaking, you say?" Ginny laughed and backed out of the table, then stood; Blaise followed shortly after. Now this part was going to be really hard…Ginny turned to Draco and switched on her best Oh-Gods-I'm-So-In-Your-Debt look.

"Mal-Ferr—er, Malfoy, I need your help, please. Harry, Tessa, Colin, and a few others and I are planning to wreak some havoc in this little school, and seeing as I wasn't exactly the best person ever I was thinking this could be a gift, you know? I know you'd think it fun to do what we're planning to do."

"No." There was no hesitation in his voice, and no cutting undertone. Draco remained emotionless, and Ginny decided to use other tactics.

"Malfoy, I don't want to have to beat you to a bloody pulp, ok? So just say yes and then everyone will be happy, and you can go off and sulk to your mother about it later."

Draco crossed his arms. "After that, there is no way in all seven hells that I'm going to join you on this doomed adventure of yours, Weaselette." He sounded as though he was bemused, though, and that got Ginny even madder. Tessa drew her aside.

"Gin, I don't think it's working."

"I know, Tessa. When did you realize this?"

"About the time you started off calling him Malfoy. You've got to do what you've got to do, Gin." Ginny looked up quickly, startling her friend. "You mean I've got to—" Tessa nodded her head quickly. Although she had no idea what her friend was babbling on about, she decided it would be better to just agree.

Ginny took a deep breath and walked past her friend, back the two Slytherin boys, both of whom were sitting on chairs and staring expectantly at her. She smiled sweetly at Draco and let her voice lower a few notes.

"Draco." Her voice surprised even her, but it was worth it to see Draco's cool mask be thrown off. His face registered pure shock, before he quickly tried to fix his masquerade back on. Before he could, however, Ginny slid into his lap and grabbed one of his hands.

"Draco, it would mean so much to me if you could please, please, please help us on our fervent endeavor." Said boy let out a little 'eep' and flushed bright red. Ginny had to try hard not to grin and ruin the moment, but Blaise and Tessa could be heard giggling madly in the background. A few gasps from her other classmates were scattered around, too.

"Please, Draco?" Ginny found that she didn't detest the whole pretending-to-like-Draco thing. In fact…he had very nice features from up close, and he didn't look at all like a ferret. She found herself leaning closer, and closer to—examine his eyes! "Draco?"

The aforementioned boy seemed to have frozen stiff and was watching her with rapt attention, and for once, Ginny found she could see behind the facade. There were swirls of emotion dancing in his eyes—such beautiful eyes too. A sudden shock passed through her, and her eyes grew wide. Draco came back, then.

"Yes." The word was whispered, but the whole world must have heard it, as several low gasps resonated throughout the class. Ginny let a grin go by, a real one, and she directed it to Draco. "Thank you."

The redhead laid a small kiss on his cheek and slid off his lap, dumped the contents of two flasks into his cauldron, grabbed her friend, and sauntered back to her desk.

"Mate? Could you at least put a bucket under your mouth or something? You're drooling." Blaise snapped his friend's jaw shut, and with it came Draco. He shook his head and muttered something under his breath about 'know-it-all girls taking over the world', but Blaise noticed he was smiling as he said it.

* * *

Ginny met Harry in the hallway after class, and offered him a fleeting grin. "The Snakes are in. Can you send the notice around during your next class about what we're supposed to be doing for the plan? It's Divination, and I don't have that." 

"Where're you going afterwards?" Apparently, he had noticed the glazed look in her eyes. She shook it off and glared at Tessa, who had pinched her.

"Nowhere important. But all I have afterwards is Arithmancy, and then I've got to check out the library. I have a lot of homework to do so I don't fall behind while we do this." He didn't believe her, of course, but he let it go by.

"Right. Great job, on getting Zabini and Malfoy—" he stopped. Ginny had obviously drifted off again. He sent a confused look to Tessa, who firmly shook her head, and steered her friend away. Harry stood for a moment, and then searched through the crowd for Draco.

The blond Slytherin was slumped against the wall as Blaise fended off a gaggling group of girls. Harry followed Draco's gaze, and found it to be following a certain redheaded young girl.

Harry's eyes narrowed. If there was something going on here, he'd definitely want to be the first to know.

* * *

"…Twelve inches, on the theory of universal involvement." The bell rang, signaling that students could leave. Ginny gathered up her things, and nearly sprinted out of the room. Hermione was sure to want to talk to her, especially after she'd zoned out during most of the class and had to rely on the older girl for help when called on. 

"Ginny!" The voice faded into the background of the other noise in the hallways, and with it went Ginny's guilt. She had no time for such things now. The redhead hurried up flights of stairs and down hallways until she got to the library. Madame Pince regarded her suspiciously under her glasses, but soon went back to surveying the rest of the student body inside of the library.

Ginny rustled inside of her knapsack for a moment, and pulled out an index card sized slip of parchment. On it was the signature of all her teachers; it was a slip informing Madame Pince that she could go into the restricted section at any time. She showed it to the librarian, who looked a bit miffed that she would have to let the girl in, but motioned her through anyways.

Ginny quickly found a place in a window seat, and pulled some random book from a shelf. When she was sure no one was there, she dropped the book to the ground and pulled her knees into herself, and her head turned to look outside.

A single, salty tear fell slid down her cheek, making an indention that seemed to be marking her skin forever. Many followed it, and yet the girl crying didn't make sound. There was no intake of breath, or loud, ragged sobs. She was crying.

And just crying.

"He's human…" she said quietly. And Draco was human. Like her, and her family, and her friends, and like she had believed him to be—Tom. For one moment, even if it was a fleeting one, she had seen Tom again.

Someone's arms slipped around her, and she stiffened before recognizing the person holding her. She gripped them back, and cried harder.

Luna Lovegood rocked her friend back and forth, uttering low cooing noises every few moments. "It's ok, it's ok…"

Ginny clung to her. "I saw Tom—and he was smiling at me, instead of Malfoy, and I couldn't help but think of him."

Luna's pale blue eyes swept over the distraught figure, and in a moment of rare clarity, she firmly took hold of the redhead's hand and knapsack. "Come on. We're going somewhere."

They left quickly; even Madame Pince didn't see them leave, as she was busy berating a first-year for eating and reading at the same time. Luna led Ginny down hallways that were obviously not used; no one was there.

They were going into a much older part of Hogwarts, and Ginny noticed the portraits on the walls seemed like they were peeling off right before her eyes. A sallow-looking wizard with sunken cheeks and yellow teeth snapped at her. "Chin up, weakling!"

She turned her head away and followed Luna, missing the wizard's calculating look and smile. The Ravenclaw led her friend to a tapestry that depicted two wizards lounging on a chair. They looked comfortable with each other, like the best of friends.

Ginny recognized the both of them. "Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor?" Luna didn't say anything. She lifted up and edge, revealing a tarnished oak door behind it. She opened it, and ushered Ginny inside. She gasped.

Beautiful, pure white carpeting covered the floors. The wall was a pale, creamy eggshell white, with streaks of emerald along the top and bottom. A four-poster bed stood at the far wall, with satin black sheets. A glass table was centered in the middle of the room, with four white chairs made of some unidentifiable material. A fireplace crackled warmly on the right side of the room, and plush white beanie bag chairs were lying scattered in front of it. Ginny forgot her tears for a moment.

"Merlin, Luna, what is this place?" Luna smiled, seeing that she had made her friend happy.

"Salazar and Godric needed someplace to relax, as did Rowena and Helga. The latter could be seen together, but Salazar and Godric had—reputations to uphold, so they had to meet in secret. This is their meeting room. No one but the headmaster knows it's here, and sometimes I doubt if he really does."

"But the furniture is so modern!"

Luna shrugged, although her eyes twinkled merrily. "My dad proved the existence of Knock-Kneed Mertorks, and even though it was a sort of minor discovery, he got a reward for it. I found this room, and with some money he'd given me and the help of the house-elves, I managed to do some work on it."

"It's beautiful." Ginny turned around suddenly and hugged her friend. "Merlin, Luna, it's beautiful. I swear I won't tell anyone about it, ok?"

The Ravenclaw seemed back to her dreamy self again. "Yes, yes, but that other person may know. You know, the _other_ one." Ginny seemed a little irritated now.

"What other one?" But Luna had settled herself into one of the beanbag chairs, and Ginny only just noticed the bookshelf behind the fireplace. Luna summoned a book and began to read.

Ginny sighed, and walked over to the shelf. Most of the books were really old, and all of them seemed interesting, so she ended up picking one with her eyes closed. It was titled Curses To Die For. She shivered slightly and put it back, and picked another one. This one was A Guide To Everything Bad And Beautiful. Now that seemed interesting…

Ginny took the book, sat down in the beanie bag and began to read. She didn't come out of it until Luna stood and stretched. "The Deckle-Kneed is still on the loose, and I've got to find it. See you later, Ginny."

Ginny managed a goodbye before she was once again immersed in the book. Some of the hexes in there—well, she could put them to good use.

It was almost midnight when Ginny thought to look around and realized that the fire had nearly burnt out, and she should have been back in her dormitory quite a while back. She knew Tessa and the others wouldn't worry (much) but Ron would explode. Even if she did so love to torture him…She eyed the bed longingly, but decided maybe she should at least inform everyone she was still alive. And do her homework.

With a groan, Ginny took out a quick quotes quill she'd nicked from Gred and Forge and a piece of parchment, and then snuck out of the room. She looked back at it as she stood outside of the tapestry. With what seemed to be a sudden burst of inspiration she rummaged through her sack, and using a handkerchief, she found the phoenix feather from the pile of objects on Saturday.

She held it over the tapestry and, giggling slightly, whispered into the dark. "I dub thee, Slythindor Room, in honor of Godric and Salazar's great friendship." Then, laughing like mad, she tucked the feather back into the bag and began dictating to the parchment as the quill zipped across it. She started walking towards Gryffindor Tower.

Had she stayed behind, she would have seen the tapestry flutter, and the two men portrayed smile broadly. Behind them was a door, very similar to the one behind said wall hanging, and above that door new words began to weave themselves into the needlepoint. On the real door, the same words seared themselves into the stone above the entrance, to remain there as long as Hogwarts stood.

It was written:

**_The Slythindor Room

* * *

_**


	8. And So It Begins

Thanks to Lomeil, Archer of Darkness and Callie (Yeah, the Snitch was in her hair, and Draco's invisibility cloak will be a family heirloom passed down through the ages) TheScarletSecret, preciousone, and DrunkenBuddie82 (I think I'm going to use your suggestion…yes, definitely, in the next chapter!)

Disclaimer: Would it really be so bad to be in jail? Ah…right…no cable. Well then, I say nay!

**

* * *

and it begins**

**issalee **

* * *

"Giiiiiiinnnnnnnyyyyyyyyyyyy…" 

Said redhead flipped over on her side and promptly resumed sleeping.

"Giiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnyyyyyyyy!"

She then showed off a very bad finger, and snuggled deep into her covers again. She was dreaming about butterbeer, lots and lots of it. Currently, there was some Firewhiskey getting involved, and two guys in spandex called Xavier and Juan.

"Ginevra!"

Ginny catapulted up, and glared blearily at the intruder. "M'name's Ginny, not Ginevra. Nasty name, bad, bad name…" She fell back onto her bed, only to find that her pillows were gone, and she groaned.

"I just wanted to sleep…this is aggers…(ooh! Ooh! British word! British word!)" She opened her eyes again, and found Colin grinning madly over her. "How did you get up here?"

He lifted his broom from the bedside table, just as Ginny noticed the neon orange fur sprouting on his knuckles. "I, er, flew up here, and as you can see, it still has side effects, and the stairs are still slides. Would you help me?"

Ginny threw off her covers and, yawning widely, found her wand and made Colin's knuckle-fur go away. She then looked through Tessa's trunk for something to wear. The girl was a mine of clothing, and Ginny frankly didn't like much of her clothes either, even if Tessa had given her the new robes she owed her. They were black and dark purple.

"Go on down to the common room, Colin. I'll be down in a sec, ok?" The boy nodded and was halfway out the door before he looked at her, curiosity evident on his face.

"Where were you last night? Ron was mad; he even went as far to say that you were in the Slytherin dorms, with Malfoy." Ginny laughed.

"No way, I was just—in the library, and I lost track of time."

"We looked for you there." Colin still looked doubtful, and Ginny walked over and shoved him. As he slid down the slide, she called down, "I was in the Restricted Section! Wonderful place to hide, am I right?"

Sighing, she closed the door and picked a random outfit from the Tessa-Mine's trunk. Everything in there was all mostly black or white or velvet red or emerald green. Thus, a guaranteed match. Ginny took a quick shower, and changed into her clothes.

"Merlin…" she murmured. She hadn't meant to pick out an outfit like this! Two separate pieces, forest green jeans and a dark green rollover. She grimaced and fingered the fabric of the shirt, which felt like velvet, and although she hated to admit it, she looked good in it. Not to mention green was her favorite color…and she was supposed to go for causal today too…

"Ginny!" Tessa's voice floated up the stairs. "Come on, today's the first prank and we've got to talk about the plan!"

Sighing, Ginny picked up a pair of black ankle boots and grabbed her knapsack, before jumping onto the slide. It was quite fun, actually, and served to make her feel much more cheerful. But as soon as she hit the bottom and saw Ron (who had managed to get Professors Flitwick, Snape, and McGonagall to turn him back) glaring at her in a way that suggested she was in trouble, her mood soured once more.

"Where were you last night, Ginevra?" she didn't answer, instead choosing to look at Harry and wonder why she couldn't get a cool scar like that. And look, there was glitter in his hair still, just like hers…although she suspected that he hadn't washed his hair, just to keep as much of it in as possible.

"Ginevra!"

She looked blankly at her brother, and smiled sweetly. "I'm sorry, but if you're referring to me, my name is Ginny. See, it's quite simple to pronounce. Gin, like the liquor, and e! There, easy isn't it?"

Ron growled. "It's not funny. Where were you last night?" Ginny drooped visibly, and walked up to him. "Brother dear, I know it will take a long time to convince you otherwise, so yes, I was in the Slytherin dorms cuddling with Draco dearest." She patted him on the cheek, grabbed Tessa and Colin, basically took Harry hostage, and wandered out of the room.

Ron looked stunned. "Did she say what I think she said, Hermione?" The bushy-haired girl had to smile and roll her eyes.

"I think she said exactly what you think she said, Ronald, and moreover, I think you were being a bit of a swot (BW! BW!) and you had no reason to go prying about in her life like that. So, then, I'm going down to breakfast with the others, and as they plan and plot without us, I hope I can safely say you will leave them alone and get on with finally finishing your homework." Hermione, quite exhilarated after her little speech, skipped out of the common room.

And poor, poor Ronald Weasley was left in the common room, with his jaw touching the floor.

* * *

Ginny Weasley was very determined that morning to soar past even Gred and Forge's reputation. Nothing was going to stop her, not mad brothers, or even petty house rivalries. Which is why, after a whispered conversation with Harry, as the others sat down at the Gryffindor table, she marched over to the Slytherin one. 

Blaise saw her coming, and nudged Draco out off his talk with Theodore Nott. "What is it?" The blond asked irritably. Blaise pointed, and in doing so, drew the attention of most of the Slytherin table.

"Make space?" Ginny asked, as she leaned upon the table. They gawped at her, until Blaise grinned. Several thuds were heard as a few girls fell off their benches, and Ginny rolled her eyes. Blaise made way, and she sat down next to him, smiling gratefully.

There was another minor commotion, and Carina pushed the tall, pimply-faced Slytherin next to her and sat down. When he grunted in anger, she rolled her eyes and glared at him. "Pipe down, Eldon, I'll be just a moment. Not like I want to sit next to either of these two dorks, anyway." She looked pointedly at Draco and Blaise, who shrugged off her insults.

Ginny took this chance to talk. "I trust you all received your owls?" they all nodded indecipherably, and Ginny didn't let her gaze linger too long on Draco as she sped forth. "Good. Now we need codenames, which need to be discussed privately."

Draco waved a hand in a slightly organized motion, and every Slytherin within three feet backed off and crowded around another section of the table. A little first year that had been sitting next to his older brother gazed impertinately at him.

"Watchoo make Freddy move for?"

Draco glared at him. "Because I would like to have a conversation, you little snot-nosed twit." The twit in question picked at his food.

"I ain't done eatin' yet."

"Does it look like I care?" Ginny had to admit, she didn't want to break this fight up, and Blaise and Carina were enjoying it also. So she didn't.

"Watchoo gonna do if I don' move, pasty-face?" She had to stifle a snort at that one, and Draco seemed to be restraining himself.

"Listen, you can come back and eat later, ok? I'm just talking to these people for a moment. Put yourself in my position; it's very annoying what you're doing."

The boy did an excellent impression of Draco's sneer, and by this time, every table had quieted down and looked over.

"I've tried putting myself in your position, but my head doesn't go that far up my arse!" That did it. Ginny and Carina slumped against each other in laughter, and Blaise almost slid under the table. The Gryffindors were applauding loudly, as were the other tables, and Draco looked fit to burst.

"Shut your bloody hole!" The first year crossed his arms and stood up. "Make me, arse-hole!" The word had never before sent Ginny into such rocking laughing spasms, and Draco glared at her, but turned back to the first year afterwards.

"You don't mess with Malfoys, you swotty brat!" The boy stuck out his tongue.

"Nyah! An' what're you gonna do 'bout it? Tell your mommy to come and beat me up? I'm sure she could, with her wonderfully huge basoomers, I'd be knocked out in a moment!"

In that instant, the Great Hall stilled. Several people (read: everyone but Draco and Ginny) wanted to laugh, but kept ended up holding their tongues as the blond Slytherin's cool mask slipped over his face.

"What's your name?" He asked, the picture of calmness. Ginny kicked him in his shin under the table, but he didn't even flinch. The first year answered snootily.

"Name's Ima Harsehole." Draco let a smirk come over his features, which were still stony. "Well, the name speaks for itself. Listen, 'Harsehole', I've got no time for you or your disgustingly immature insults." He got out from the bench, and turned around one last time. "Oh, and you should try to keep those in."

"Keep what—" Ima started to say, but all of a sudden, his—er—chest started to grow. And grow…and grow…and they didn't stop until his man-boobs were threatening to rip his shirt open, by which time Draco had left.

By the time Ginny had managed to stop laughing and Ima had been carted off by some teachers (who had been enjoying the insult contest until the—er, man-boobs came in) she was rather frantic. Carina and Blaise had picked out codenames…and she needed to find Draco before first period!

With a sad look at the plate of food (Draco's) that she could have been eating, she got up and slipped out of the Great Hall, which was filled with discussion on The Battle Of The Basoomers, as they so intelligently called it.

It was very, very hard to find Draco, and in Ginny's mind, a complete waste of time. He was sitting by the lake, with his knees pulled up to his chest and his robes discarded next to him. Ginny noted the relaxed atmosphere and dropped her robes by a tree as she walked next to him.

"Er…Malfoy?"

He didn't say word, which made Ginny feel a bit irritable, but she forgave him because he had just been in a very unfair fight. First years have barbed tongues…

"Do you hate me?" The question was rather simple, but it threw the redhead way off balance. She had to lean against a willow tree's trunk as she pondered this answer. If she came up with a deep and mellow answer, maybe he'd be happy (or sullen, as close to cheerful as a Malfoy could get) and they could GET A MOVE ON with things already.

"Er—yes." Draco turned around and looked at her strangely, and she began sputtering. "It's not that I hate you—it's just—well you aren't—you're EVIL—and Ron—" A sound startled her and she looked down at her shoes to see if maybe she was stepping on a first year or something, but after a moment, she recognized it as laughter—coming from Draco!

"Are you—alright?" She asked hesitantly, which sent him off even more, and Ginny gaped for a moment before glaring. "Oh, you're just fabulous, you know that? I had to sacrifice breakfast for you and everything, and just so I can learn your codename, and now I'm hungry and we've got class in fifteen minutes and—WHY ARE YOU STILL LAUGHING!"

Draco stood up, legs trembling, and grabbed her around the waist. She shrieked a little (read: like a bloody banshee) as he spun her around. "What's your codename?"

Ginny, as she tried to make a desperate bid for freedom, told him. "Ah, Fireball!" Draco fell to his knees, taking her with him, and shook his head.

"You're hilarious, d'you know that?"

She hissed at him.

"I'll be Dragon, then." He pulled Ginny's hair back from her face with a hand and she huffed. "And don't be too upset, Weasley. You don't know how funny you look dressed in Slytherin colors and acting like a Slytherin, and yet you're in Gryffindor."

He grinned, and although she tried to hide it, one made its way to her face as well. "Ah, but we have class in what, ten minutes now?" Draco nodded, and let her go. She quickly pulled her robes on, and started for the school, but stopped as the blond Slytherin grabbed her wrist.

"Is this an alliance of sorts?"

"What? Between all of us planning this thing?" Draco shook his head.

"Between you and me, Weasley." She eyed him for a moment, and then checked the area, looking for Gred and Forge to pop out and say "Gotcha!" while the Draco-bot they made exploded in confetti.

It didn't happen.

Ginny sighed, and looked back at Draco. "Yes, I suppose so. But just an alliance!" Draco nodded, a smirk forming on his lips.

"Of course, Weaselette. Nothing more." And he brushed by her, leaving Ginny red-faced and missing the warmth of his hand—but just a little bit.

* * *

"Are you in position, Fireball?" 

Silence.

"Eh, Fireball?"

"Harry, put the bloody thing down, I'm right next to you."

"But it's fun! OW! Ginny, don't hit me with your sack! Bad. Bad Ginny!" Harry held his arms over his head as Ginny giggled, and Tessa rolled her eyes.

"We should really be getting into position now. It took me and Gin forever to charm these walkie-talkies to work, and me and Colin even longer to teach the Zabinis how to use it."

"And Malfoy?" Harry asked absently, as he ran a finger through his hair and smiled at the glitter that it came out with.

"He already knew." Tessa smiled at the shocked faces. "I know, I know, I was going mad too. But he just mumbled some stuff about his 'crazy father' and shuffled off to his position."

"He can shuffle?" Blaise said thoughtfully. Ginny sighed.

"Come on, guys, it's almost lunch, and we've got to do this now. Everyone, get in your positions!" She poked Harry in the ribs. "Stop staring at the glitter, that means you too."

They followed her orders, and Ginny clambered onto the shoulders of a statue of a naked man, kneeling and thinking. She patted his head awkwardly.

"Um…hello…I suppose you're doing something, but I may have to be animating you soon, so finish quickly…"

"Gods, Ginny, stop trying to get off with the statue." The redhead glared at her walkie-talkie, where Carina's voice had come from.

"Ah, shut your bloody hole and keep a look-out. Harry, do you see them?" There was a pause, and she ground her teeth. "Harry! Put the damn finger down and check to see if they're here!"

There was a crackle, and Harry's voice came on. "Sorry, Gin, but it's so…sparkly. And yes, they're heading down the hallway. Malfoy, you know what to do?"

"Yeah, keep you knickers on, Potty." There was a clicking noise, and then Draco's voice could be heard, but faintly.

"Ooh, Professor! Professor, the Creevey git—er, boy, is hexing Carina Zabini! Blaise is fending him off, but he's got Reeve and I think Connors on their way!"

"Lead the way, Draco. And you, Crabbe, just follow me." Snape's voice emanated clearly. Ginny shrank against the statue and watched closely as Draco turned the corner. Professor Snape and Crabbe following close behind him.

From the corner of her eye, Ginny could see Carina standing with her wand lying forlornly on the ground. Her hair was neon orange, as was her brother's. Tessa, Justin, and Colin were all holding their wands and pointing them at the brother and sister.

"Stop right there!" Snape called out, pushing past Draco with Crabbe in tow running towards the children, who were picking themselves up and moving back.

Ginny waited until they were directly beneath her before whispering the words. "_Animatus!_" The statue gave a mighty heave, and the people below it stopped and looked up. Ginny slid down its back and crouched in the shadows, giving whispered commands.

The statue picked up Snape and Crabbe and held them both in the palm of its right hand. Ginny whispered another word, and they were instantly knocked out.

"Well done!" She smiled as her fellow plotters joined her. "Phase Two of Objective: Capture the Flag is done and over with!"

"Who's doing Phase Three?" Draco wrinkled his nose, and Ginny shrugged.

"That, my friends, is for whoever's brave enough to get to Crabbe's knickers." There was a long silence, before every single person turned to the one they thought capable.

"Harry!"

* * *

The Great Hall was filled for lunch, as usual, and it was halfway finished when there was a commotion at the door. This proved to be Harry Potter stalking in, wiping his hands with a wet handkerchief and grumbling angrily to those surrounding him, which surprisingly included Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Carina Zabini. 

Ronald Weasley was amongst them, but after a kick to the shins from Hermione, he shut his mouth and poked sullenly at his food.

But they all quickly got over it as everyone went to their own separate tables and sat down. That is, until the Hall started shaking. The doors burst open, and a giant, at least ten-foot tall man in the nude wandered up to the front of the teacher's table.

"Methinks they belong to you," it said, in a slightly girlish voice, and deposited its package on the floor. No one noticed it lumber away. All eyes were on the 'package' it had dropped.

Severus Snape was clutching Vincent Crabbe's rear end with a hand, and his arms were around the teacher's neck. Both of them had messy hair and mussed robes, and Snape had lipstick marks all over his face. They were in a position that suggested they were lying down before something had frozen them.

But the clincher was that in Snape's other hand, the one that seemed to be coming from the direction of an opening in Crabbe's robes was a pair of frilly red panties. Snape groaned, and opened his eyes, with Crabbe following soon after.

There was a pause, as they both looked at each other. Then Crabbe, in a voice that was obviously not his own, stated clearly enough for the hall to hear. "Sevvy, maybe we should have these encounters in a more—private area!"

And thus began the greatest War against Hogwarts pupils and teachers that Hogwarts had ever known.

* * *

And I--am a genius. No, but seriously, I'd just like to thank everyone reviewing. And if anyone wants to see Draco in the shower...well, next chapter, I'll set something up/  



	9. Sleeping With The Enemy

Thanks to **caity-b, Jill-Weasley** (Maybe I'll make it both HG and DG, just because I'm crazy like that. But I'm leaning towards DG) **concoction,** (Ooh, trust me, Harry and Ginny are v. v. mad, they'll have some v. v. cool plans) **PP Ruffie** (Most of my ideas come from things I've actually done. The glitter cloud, for example, was when in fourth grade me and my friends took all the glitter from the art room and hung it in buckets over random doors in the school. It was hilarious) **xxaishiteru** (I want to make this romance as hard as possible for my characters ) **Archer of Darkness and Callie** (If you look any dreamier I'm dying your hair blond and calling you Loony. JK!) **bella**, **preciousone, Mellia Black** (NO! Don't sue me, the only thing I own at the moment is this packet of Orbit gum! And a tissue! I wanted Draco to throw Ima across the Hall, but he can't get in trouble so early in the fic. Ginny will think badly of him…) **Aurelia Malfoy, ice princess grl** (Don't tell JKR you said that) and **Amfmchic**.

Disclaimer: Someday, all will recognize my geniosity and bow before me. Until then, I'm stuck bowing to JKR, and let me tell you, she doesn't like half-crouching or slouches. It must be a full-blown bow…anyways, I digress. I don't own it.

**

* * *

sleeping with the enemy**

**issalee

* * *

**"Tessa."

"_Oui_?"

"Don't do that. I hate the French."

"I'm hurt."

"Tessa, I'm bored." Ginny was sitting upside down on her bed, and throwing a small ball of light she had found and made it solidify. It made a nice clinking noise as it rolled against the wall and back towards her. "Why am I bored?"

Tessa was reading something and sitting on her bed. "Because Ron, Harry and Hermione asked you if you wanted to go and practice your defensive charms. You said no."

Ginny crossed her arms stubbornly, and immediately regretted it as the ball hit her in her head. She scowled. "I would end up knocking one of then out. I'm very smart you know. Voldemort should have been bowing down to me…yes, Tommy was a good lad when you get down to it, but very misguided."

Tessa ignored her. "Colin asked you if you wanted to go with him and Neville to take some photographs for the scrap-book they're putting together. You said no."

Ginny picked up the ball and knocked it against the floor, still upside down. "I'm not interested in photos. Only ones that have to do with blackmail are even remotely ok."

"And then when Lavender and Parvati and Padma asked you if you wanted to get a full make-over in Hogsmeade, you said no."

"Doesn't that one speak for itself?" Ginny said, and poked the ball lightly. Tessa shut her book.

"The point it, Ginny, that half of Hogwarts has asked you to go somewhere, and every time you've said no."

Ginny pouted slightly. "And the other half?"

"They're Slytherins."

"Ah." Ginny picked the ball up, and moved up so that she was lying on her bed, with her face over the footboard. The truth was, she'd been bored ever since the first prank, or Objective: Capture The Flag.

The flag was Crabbe's frilly red panties, which they had actually found in his pocket. So they just left the black thong they were intending to use for another trick.

Snape hadn't been happy, of course. In fact, to say that Voldemort would have been afraid of him is an understatement. A huge one. Even Dumbledore shrank back as the livid Potions professor stood and attempted to bark out an angry statement.

Attempted being the key word here.

Instead, what came out was, "Why are you staring? It's perfectly normal for people to cuddle when they're in love." After which he blushed—actually blushed! And then promptly rushed out of the room, clutching his stomach and turning green. And he was still holding the panties, too.

Crabbe had the bravado to actually flip over and stare round at the room, stand up, and walk slowly over to Draco, whose smirk quickly disintegrated.

"Er, er, Draco." He whispered, but very loudly. Draco cast a glance at Ginny, who nodded surreptitiously. He looked back to Crabbe.

"What is it?"

The hulking boy leaned on the table, and several people jumped back for fear of getting Severitus. "Why are they flaring?"

Draco stared. "What? Why are they—what?"

Crabbe gestured animatedly. "Y'know, flaring!" Blaise at this moment decided to let out a snort. "Honestly…it's not flaring, Crabbe, it's staring. Why are they staring? And it's because you've been sleeping with Snape, and didn't even have the decency to tell your so-called friends." He pulled a hurt look.

Crabbe looked confused as people came out of their shell-shocked states long enough to laugh. "But I'm not sleeping with Snape. I'm sleeping with Gregory!"

Blaise looked ashen, and Draco was so pale he could have been mistaken for Casper. Goyle, who had been sitting at the table and looking pissed the entire time, smiled bashfully. "Of course, me love."

To make a v. long story short, Crabbe and Goyle were marched out of the Great Hall by a half-crazed Professor Flitwick, who was the only one still conscious besides Dumbledore at the Teacher's table.

After a few days, everyone had generally found the whole situation very funny, but it was a bit too late. So the plan did not go well. And Snape still hadn't reappeared, which meant Dumbledore was to teach their potions lessons. Everyone looked forward to this.

"Tessa?"

"_Oui_?"

"I'm not speaking to you if you speak in French again." Ginny rolled her eyes and slipped out of bed. "It's a Saturday, I'm bored, and we agreed that that's not supposed to happen. So, what do we do?"

Tessa sighed. "I suppose we can wander. Or go into the Forbidden Forest and deck Aragog, then run very, very fast back into here."

Ginny stared. "You're mad. That's why I like you." Both of them were wearing flared jeans (black) and tank tops (also black) and sneakers (also black, what did you think?).

It was relatively quiet as they went downstairs. Only a few first years or second years were curled up on the floor, playing Exploding Snaps. Ginny eyed a boy who seemed to be bald in the front of his head.

"That's a dangerous game. We need to play it more."

She and Tessa giggled as they clambered out of the portrait, and slid down the stairs. When they got to the end of one hallway, they turned down the next, and the next, and at dead ends they would turn back and take another way, all the while talking about random things.

They were arguing over who probably had shoved more beans up a friend's nose when they were little when they ran into two very hard something's.

"Urgh…I kill you…" Ginny made a little waving motion with her hand, and was startled when something grabbed it and picked her up. Her eyes cleared to see Draco peering at her in amusement.

"Drunk, Weasley?" She nodded sagely as Blaise picked Tessa up.

"_Nein, mein Fuhrer. _I am high. Off of laughter."

Even Tessa eyed her strangely after that one, and Draco put a hand to her forehead. "Are you sure you're ok, Weasley?" Ginny sighed, and nodded once more.

"Fine, just fine. But boredom does the weirdest things to you. Can we go to your room?" Draco smirked.

"A little straightforward, aren't we?" He winced as Ginny hit him over the head, and started laughing. Tessa and Blaise nearly fell over, but Ginny remained still, glaring at him.

"Oh, so you think it's funny? I merely suggested it because there is nothing else to do, and in your room you have the queerest things. All dark and nasty-like." Her eyes glazed over, and Blaise backed away absently. Draco shook his head, smiling.

"Fine then. You can both come with Blaise and me; we were heading back to the room anyway." He motioned for them to follow him, as he made his way to the Head Boy rooms.

Once inside, Ginny promptly ran for the bed and jumped on it, burying herself under the yards of silk. "Mmm, Gods, I love this…"

"Being in my bed?"

She didn't bother answering and snuggled down deeper into the sheets as she heard Blaise, Draco and Tessa situate themselves in different places around the room.

"So, what should we do for the next prank?" Blaise asked.

"Ginny's supposed to be thinking up something, but she'd rather smell Mal-Ferret stench then do much thinking, I suppose."

Ginny poked her head out and frowned at Tessa. "You've just been moved to thirty-first on my 'To Die At My Hands' list. That's not good."

"Why is Weasley thinking up the plots?" Draco said suddenly. Ginny pushed some hair back from her face and groaned in frustration as it fell back again. "Because I live with Fred and George, Malfoy, and also because I am the best at hexes and curses and the like, besides Harry."

"Ah…and why don't you wear a hair tie?" He sounded bemused as Ginny held her hair back with one hand and grimaced.

"Because, hair ties are utterly nonsensical things, and I find no point in wearing them. And there is nothing else cool enough to wear." She added, almost as an afterthought, "So there."

Tessa covered her eyes with one hand. "I think she drank something. I honestly think she drank something." Ginny rolled her eyes and proceeded to go back into the covers and content herself with the softness of the fabric, and as the others began to talk of lesser things, she began to plot.

Almost an hour later, the covers on Draco's bed rustled, but he, Blaise and Tessa didn't notice, as they were in a deep, philosophical-type-thingy discussion about what the best Quidditch team was and why.

So when Ginny crept out from the bed, no one noticed. She slouched against the side of the bed and eyed them all warily. Draco was sitting on the floor, leaning against the footboard. Blaise was in the window seat on the other side of the room, and Tessa was sitting in a chair with her legs swung over the side next to Blaise.

Ginny let the covers fall over her and cover her completely. She trundled over to the footboard and before anyone could notice her, did the unthinkable.

She jumped Draco Malfoy.

He let out a little muffled cry before he was swathed completely in the yards and yards of silk, and by the time he realized what had happened, Ginny had laughed so much she was sure she was going to suffocate under green silk sheets.

Suddenly, she felt something grab her arm, and she gave a little shriek, until she realized it was Draco. He moved the sheets from his eyes and glared at her.

"You're mad."

She fell back and giggled. "And you're a narcissistic pig. No one's perfect, you have to understand that." He rolled his eyes.

"And I love you too, schookums." Ginny chuckled, ignoring the shiver that had run up her spine as she heard those words. After a while, she noticed the room was quiet. As she was valiantly attempting to get out, Ginny came to a conclusion.

"What fresh hell? TESSA ANDROMEDA REEVE! YOU WILL REMOVE THIS SPELL AND LET ME OUT! YOU WILL YOU WILL YOU WILL!"

There was muffled laughter, and then Blaise's voice came through. "We'll be by in about an hour to let you out. Later." And the door slammed.

Draco picked at the fabric. "Ooh, a never-ending spell. How childish…and it can't be taken off except by those who cast it. I think they want us to spend time together, Weaselette."

"Don't call me that," Ginny snapped irritably. "I have a name, you know. It's Ginny." Draco smirked.

"I don't think your mother named to Ginny Weasley. You must have a full one. I, for example, am Draco Alexander Malfoy."

Ginny gave him a calculating look before replying. "Ginevra Teresa Weasley. But call me Ginevra and I will castrate you, and just because I've used that threat before, I'll throw in a free decapitation as well."

He laughed, then. "That's why I like you, _Ginevra_. You're so brutally honest." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he resisted the urge to stifle her next words with his own.

"Don't call me that! Ooh, what have I done?" she moaned, banging a fist against her head, until something caught her. Silver-blue eyes flashed with an unreadable emotion, and Draco tilted his head to the side.

"So, Fireball, what was it that made you so excited that you just had to pounce on me?" She pushed her hair out of her eyes absently. "Don't call me Fireball either, that's for missions."

"But I like it."

He was pouting, and there was no way in seven hells that she could ever fall for it…all the way. She almost relented, but then fixed a pout on her own face as well. "Please? For me?"

His face softened, and he swore under his breath. "Fine. No Fireball, then." She smiled wickedly, and he attempted to atone. "But if it's not Fireball, it's Ginevra, or Red."

"Fireball it is!"

He smirked, then rolled over and glared at the expanse of green above him. "So? What was it?" Ginny sighed.

"I have a plan." She explained it very quickly, and was pleased to see him smile as she finished. "See? I told you you should have been in Slytherin," he drawled.

She sighed, then yawned. "And now that my poor brain has been worked to the max, I need a nap." She set her head down on the silk and closed her eyes. Draco snorted.

"Really, that's not a smart thing to do. I may hex you." He looked over at her and was surprised to see she was already asleep. She looked rather cute, he thought, with her lips in a slight frown and her nose wrinkled cutely. Her hair was curling in long tendrils about her eyes, and without really thinking, he reached out and brushed them away.

She opened her eyes a little and whispered, "Thanks," before she fell asleep again. Draco sighed as he closed his own.

Why was life always harder for the perfect ones?

* * *

Blaise and Tessa wandered back in exactly two hours, thirty-three minutes and forty-seven seconds later. Tessa removed the spell, and they both ripped the sheets off. Their grins were wiped off quickly, though, as they saw the scene before them. 

Tessa sent Blaise for Colin, who came in, gasped, and took many, MANY photographs. Then Colin went for Justin, who in turn went for the Dream Team. This turned out to be a mistake, as Ron had to be dragged back outside lest he wake the sleeping people, and as Hermione tried to calm him down and explain with the information Tessa had given her, Harry eyed the couple wearily.

"Wow." Blaise said finally, shaking his head. "I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself. D'you think we should wake them?"

Harry shook his head. "Let's use Locomotor Mortis move them onto the bed." He grinned evilly. "And take more pictures."

When this was all done, and they had nothing more to do, and so Blaise ushered them all out of the room. As he left, he shook his head and looked at the scene laid out before him, smiling broadly.

"Carina will kill me for this…but at least we got pictures!" He shut the lights off and left, picturing the blackmail this could be used for.

And on the bed, Ginny Weasley lay curled up on one side, an arm thrown haphazardly around Draco Malfoy's waist. His arm, in turn, was trailing absentmindedly through her hair as he slept, and another one was lying on his side. They were very, very close together, and if one hadn't known any better, they almost looked—

Well, like a couple.

Ginny yawned and stretched luxuriously. She felt well rested and very comfy. With a disgruntled sigh as she couldn't sleep any more, she opened her eyes.

And closed them.

And opened them again…

"Draco Alexander Malfoy, what in bloody hell possessed you to be anywhere near me as I slept?" she hissed, in a very low, dangerous voice.

The Slytherin's eyes opened and peered groggily at her. She squealed as his arms wrapped around her waist and drew her closer. "Shh, sleep…"

She poked him. Hard. In the eye. He opened said eye and glared viciously at her with it while she smiled.

"What was that for?" His voice was slurred, and she made a mental note; Draco Malfoy did not get up quickly in the mornings, like her. She could use this against him…

"You're holding on to me, Malfoy, and I really want to leave." He had closed his eyes again. "Come now, Fireball, sleep. S'good for you."

She sighed; mostly because she found that she didn't want to get out of the bed, not matter how much she said so. "Let go of me, I have to—er, use the bathroom." Thankfully, he took his hands back, and she bolted to the bathroom.

Inside, she rested an arm on the sink and closed her eyes as she regained her memory of yesterday. She remembered closing her eyes, and dreaming about—Draco. She frowned and peered at herself in the mirror.

Was she sick?

This was Malfoy! Shaking her head in disgust, Ginny ran a finger through her hair and pushed the bangs crowding in front of her eyes aside. Why did she, out of all the Weasley clan, have to be the one caught in the most embarrassing situations?

And how in the name of Godric Gryffindor's pantyhose did she get into the bed with him?

Swearing under her breath, she flushed the toilet six times and hoped the ferret's bathroom flooded, then walked out.

And stopped.

Draco was sitting on the edge of his bed, clothes and hair mussed to no end. He was yawning widely and running his fingers through his blond locks, and at the same time managed to be leaning against the pole of the four-poster bed.

Ginny gaped.

He opened his eyes fully and grinned lopsidedly, making her stomach do flips. "Like what you see, Fireball?" She blushed furiously, unable to make a comment, and Draco stood.

"By the way, it's seven, so I'm going to go shower, and if you want to brave the flood of Slytherins coming into their dorms, which are, coincidentally right next to this room, then go on. Otherwise, I shower, you wait, I dress, and we leave."

Ginny had to admit she felt a little sticky under the clothes she was wearing, and shook her head. "I shower after. I need to, and hurry, I want to get back to my dorm." He shrugged and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door securely behind him. Ginny fell back onto the covers as she thought of what the Dream Team would say if they knew…

* * *

"_I'LL KILL HIM! I'LL KILL HIM AND CHOP HIS BLOODY WAND OFF!"_

"_Give them a chance, it might work out, and besides, Ginny's old enough to work this out if she wants. She's a bright girl, smarter then me, and Dumbledore even."_

"_Quidditch, anyone?"_

* * *

Ok, so maybe those were exaggerated, but they would say something along those lines. She decided it would be safer to just read some of the books Draco had then to let her mind wander. It had some pretty treacherous thoughts, like what Draco must be doing right now—BOOK! She must get a book… 

A few minutes later, Draco wandered out in only a towel. He looked to Ginny, who was reading something. "What are you doing, Weasley?"

"Reading."

"Is that one of my books?" He glared at her suspiciously as she marked the place and nodded, slipping it back into the bookshelf.

"It's very—interesting, Malfoy. I'm going to go shower now, ok?" And she practically sprinted into the bathroom. Draco immediately walked (read: dashed) to the bookshelf and grabbed the book. A muffled groan left his lips as he looked at the title.

_The Joy of Sex._

Gods, he was going to kill Blaise.

When Ginny came out a few moments later, she was performing a drying charm on her hair. Draco was dressed, all in black. Trousers, long sleeved shirt, shoes. He smirked at her.

"To match you," he said, and she rolled her eyes. Her hair was curling at the ends, which she hated, and now her bangs were doing it too. She put her wand down and walked to the door.

"We're off, then. I'll tell these evil people who decided to leave me alone with you tomorrow. So let's go!" Draco led her out of the room and as she was unfamiliar with most of the Slytherin dungeons, he stayed with her until they were at the Great Hall.

"This is your stop, you may leave the Sex God now." He smiled cheekily, and she shook her head.

"Like a kid, you are." She looked up the stairs. "I suppose I'd better go. Thanks for relieving me of my boredom, and er—stuff. Bye."

He surprised her when he kissed her on the cheek, and with all seriousness, whispered, "Bye." And walked back from where he came from.

Ginny touched a finger to her cheek, and, shaking off the feeling, walked back to the Gryffindor Tower, feeling uncommonly giddy. She had barely given the Fat Lady the password when the portrait swung open and she was dragged inside.

Ron loomed over her, looking as mad as—er, a madman.

"GINEVRA TERESA WEASLEY, WHAT WERE YOU DOING SLEEPING WITH A MALFOY!"

Ginny closed her eyes as Tessa appeared behind him, and muttered the only French word she thought worthwhile.

"Ah, _merde_."

Ginny looked into Ron's blazing eyes, and decided that frankly, she was sick and tired of this, the latter being the most true.

"Ron, I was sleeping with Malfoy. But not in the context your pervy mind is thinking. And if you'd like to know so much about it, ask Tessa why she and Blaise Zabini locked me in the room with the twit."

Ron didn't turn away. "You are grounded, Ginny."

"What!" She threw him an incredulous look, never noticing the common room, which was slowly filling up. "You can't do that!"

"Oh, yes I can!" He roared. "You're a horrid little girl, do you know that?" Ginny gazed at him with what seemed to be contempt before she pushed him and marched up the stairs.

She walked into her dormitory, sending the girls inside scattering. With barely controlled anger, she packed every single one of her belongings (and a few of Tessa's) and magicked her trunk to float behind her. She walked coolly back down the stairs, where there was a large crowd.

"And just WHERE do you think you're going?" Ron said shrilly. She tutted, in a sort of motherly and sarcastic way.

"You keep thinking these things that aren't true, Ronald. So I suppose I'd better give your mind some ease from the strain of worrying, and make them come true. I'm moving in with Malfoy."

Every single person stilled, and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, you all act like he's the scourge of the earth, and he's not. I don't suppose more than ten of you have actually been involved in a fight with him, much less had a rumor spread about you by him. You hate him only because someone told you to hate him. Does anyone besides me care to even remember that IT WAS HIS FATHER BEING EVIL, NOT HIM!"

There was silence, and Harry shuffled awkwardly in the background.

"Well, of course not, because all of you were sitting on your arses at your houses while we protected you, and he did too. So I bid you all good day, and good-bye. And Ronald, shut your trap for once."

And Ginevra Teresa Weasley walked out of the Gryffindor common room, leaving behind her a stunned group of people, who wouldn't move until about an hour after she had left.


	10. Fighting With The Right Shrub

Sorry to all those who wanted to see Ginny move in with Draco. As I've said, I want this romance to be as complicated as possible, and so I must delay. It wouldn't turn out right if I did let her move in. This is more like a fill in chapter, as I have to introduce Draco's owl and a few other things…

Thanks bunches to **Ice princess grl **(If you haven't thrown yourself off the bridge yet, in the next chapter I have something about Draco and showers, much more detailed, trust me) **loonysango** (don't worry, the glitter's gonna make a comeback!) **AnitaBlakeBuffyFan** (Yes, Gin is still v. v. disturbed from that) **xxaishiteru** (Icht nein, as you can see, no random moving in…for now ;) ) **TheScarlettSecret **(Still drooling over your screen name…) **America sucks move to Europe** (I agree totally with your screen name, and yes, if little bunny Fufu came hopping down the road, I'd take a bazooka and blast his head off. Sorry…I normally like animals. And I don't mind the cursing at all. Oh, and I've been grounded for a month, so technically, I'm not on here ) **AureliaMalfoy, PP Ruffie, Randomised** (Heh, yes, but I have a reason for the eye-rolling thing. What would you say if someone's eyes got stuck to the top of their head? And the British words are actually a product off mass boredom and random Internet searches into slang dictionaries. My mind is very complex…so…I really do indiscriminate things…) **preciousonee, youngwriter56, splatethy **(I spent hours trying to pronounce that), **katie** (let's pretend the Ministry skipped over her, ok?) **Snitchley** (she's not bumped up a year, she's just taking a few advanced classes. I needed scenes where they were both in the same classroom, and this way works out best. And about the broomstick, those things are much smarter than people actually think, you know.)

Disclaimer: I've seen HBP. I've read it. Who but JKR could write like that?

* * *

**fighting with the right shrub  
**

**issalee

* * *

**Ginny Weasley stomped down the stairs, muttering under her breath about stupid brothers and stupid guys and stupid world and stupid everything in general. She had realized halfway to the Slytherin dorms that she couldn't possibly stay with Draco. He was—Malfoy, and that was enough to send her flying.

"Going somewhere?" Luna appeared, pirouetting dreamily down the stairs in front of her. "I heard you were moving out; Ronald is furious."

Ginny nodded absently, an idea forming in her head. "Yes, yes. Luna, could you do me a favor? I'm going to be staying in that room you showed me a while back. Can you find Malfoy, and bring him there? Don't let anyone see you, ok?"

Luna nodded, her eyes widening even more. "Oh, I knew you'd understand that Draco was the person, Ginny! Shall I bring Tessa, too?"

Ginny decided against it. "No, I'll find her myself. And I'll get Colin later too, but for now, you just bring Malfoy, ok?"

But Luna was gone, walking with a grace that belied her vague nature. Ginny shook her head and hurried to the Slythindor Room. When she got there, she was surprised to note that Godric and Salazar were smiling. Last time, they had merely looked thoughtful.

She shrugged away the idea that they had changed, and pushed back the tapestry, opening the door so quickly, she didn't see the words written above the entrance. With speed that she normally would never use for such a thing, she quickly unpacked all her possessions and settled the trunk at the foot of the bed.

She surveyed the room, and smiled as she saw the door to the bathroom. She peeked inside and let out a whoop of joy. Marble bathtub, and shower, all white.

She had just flopped down in one of the beanie bag chairs and started reading a book called Watching the World Go By: A Book Of Time Spells, when Luna walked in, a slightly miffed Draco Malfoy behind her.

"What is it now, Weasley? Couldn't keep away from me for too long?" he drawled. Ginny shut the book and stood, arms crossed.

"Shut it, Malfoy. I invited you here because I have a favor to ask of you." He eyed her warily, and smirked.

"You just told me to shut it. And why do I owe you?" Ginny calmly flicked some hair from her face.

"You disturbed me with that book of yours. I may never be able to sleep again." She watched as he scowled darkly.

"What will people say? I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm a God in my own rights, and I don't think many people will take kindly to the fact that I'm helping you out. What is it you need done anyway?" She explained.

"No. Absobloodylutely not. I would be murdered in my bed!"

"Please?" She begged, and she and Draco didn't notice Luna leaving the room, humming the theme song to Rugrats. "Think of how angry it would make Ron! Think of it!"

"Not for all the diamonds in the world." He said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. "It just can't happen, Weasley, and besides, you're staying here anyways, so why not tell them that."

"Because I already announced it to the whole Gryffindor common room, which means that the whole school will know in about twenty more minutes, and also because no one can know about this room! Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor met in here, it's like a sacred place, and Luna renovated it. She, I, you, and maybe Dumbledore are the only people who know about it." Ginny finished, her eyes slightly teary.

Draco studied her, his gray eyes never wavering, and she wondered what he was thinking. After a long, long moment, his shoulders slumped a little.

"I'm shrinking your trunk so I can bring it to my room, and some of your things too. If anyone asks me where you are, I'll say I have no idea, and that you like to go wandering. I suppose you'll have to make a few appearances and go in sometimes, but after a while the whole issue will fade—"

He was cut off as Ginny flung herself on him, squeezing the life from him. "Ooh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She leaned back, eyes sparkling. "You're not such a bad Mal-Ferret after all."

He looked surprised. "You know French?"

"What was French?" She scowled. "I hate the French." Draco smirked, in a way she immediately didn't like.

"Mal-Ferret. Mal in French means bad, so you're saying bad ferret. I never even thought of it until now, as you started after your brother and Potty, and they can't pronounce words for their lives."

Ginny took a moment to absorb it all, opened and shut her mouth a few times, then sighed. "Oh, damn it all to hell. Do you have an owl?"

"Why are you asking?" he said, a little suspicious. She shrugged.

"I don't have one, and I need to send a message out to Colin and Tessa about where I am." As his look, she put her hands on her hips. "Not everyone's a rich fool, Malfoy. We have a family owl, Errol, but he's too old. Ron's got pig—"

He snorted. "Pig? He's gotten swine as a pet?" She hit him on the arm, and as he rubbed at it ruefully, she explained.

"Short for Pigwidgeon, the name Ron picked for his bird. Now, Fred and George have two owls, also twins, called Fledge and Torque. Don't ask me on that. Bill's got an owl called Shea, and Charlie uses doves. Mum and Dad aren't exactly very happy with my behavior all the time, so I don't have one yet."

Draco looked thoughtful. "Shame. I'll send mine down in a moment, if I can leave?" She nodded, and he smiled, a real one. "You shock me sometimes, Red."

"It's NOT Red!"

"Ginevra, then."

"I love Red. Red is beautiful. It makes me fell all tingly inside." He laughed, and walked out, leaving a fuming Ginny behind. She soon calmed down though, and returned to her book. Moments later, a sleek black owl with glowing red eyes appeared, scaring her so badly she was actually scrambling over the bed and preparing a spell before she realized it for what it was.

Draco's owl flew onto her hand and held out a leg, where a message was tied with black ribbon. As she stroked the owl's head, Ginny removed the note and read it.

**_

* * *

Ginevra, _**(she growled)

_**This is my owl, Psyche. She doesn't like many people, so f she nips you, you can't say I didn't warn you. Send your messages, give her a treat (if you have all your fingers) and she'll be on her way.**_

_**The Bad Ferret**_

* * *

Ginny looked to the owl, which was nuzzling her hand affectionately. Psyche certainly seemed nice enough. "You're not bad, are you darling?" It hooted, and flew over to the mantle over the fireplace, where it fluffed itself up and waited. 

Ginny took a piece of parchment from her bag and a quill, then sat down at the glass table and wrote out a quick letter.

_**

* * *

Colin, Tessa,**_

_**I'm in this room that Luna showed me a while back. I call it the Slythindor room, and it was where Godric and Salazar spent their times when Hogwarts was first made. Luna renovated it, so it's really cool. I'm using Malfoy's owl at the moment, her name's Psyche. He said she bites, but I don't think she does, at least, not me. To get here, I'm going to place a linking charm on your wands. Don't bring anyone else. And I'm not staying with Malfoy, so no worries, but we have to make others believe that I am. While you're here, I'll tell you about our next Objective, ok?**_

_**Ginny**_

* * *

She called Pysche over, and using the same black ribbon tied it to the owl's leg. "I would've thought him to get a male, you know, assert his manliness." Ginny mused. Psyche nipped her affectionately and after hearing where she was supposed to go, flew off. Ginny took her wand from her jean pocket, and flicked it almost lazily in the air. 

"_Bond us_," she whispered, concentrating on Colin and Tessa's wands. A moment later, she spoke the words in her mind, and light blue sparks flew from the end of the baton. Satisfied, Ginny leaned back.

She didn't have to wait long before the door burst open, and her two best friends rushed in, breathless and red-faced. She opened her mouth to speak but Colin was next to her in a moment, with a hand over her mouth. She cast him a glare, but froze as she heard voices.

"…Are you sure you saw them?"

"Yes, Ron, can we go now, please? Ginny'll be fine, she'll come back on her own."

"Hermione, you don't understand, she's my sister! She could be hurt! And I saw that owl, it's definitely Malfoy's."

"Then why did they come by here?"

"Harry's right Ron. Why would it come by here? The Slytherin dungeons are ages away."

"I don't know, a shortcut or something! Come on, let's go. I want to find her and scream at her till she gets it through her skull, she's not privy to do such things."

The voices faded, and Colin looked at Ginny fearfully, expecting an outburst. Instead he found her eyes following Psyche, who had followed them in, as the great owl flew around the room.

"Someday he'll get over it." Ginny said dismissively. Tessa and Colin pulled up chairs next to her.

"You said you have the next Objective all planned out?" Tessa said eagerly. "Tell us! And tell us about what happened when Malfoy was here too!"

Ginny did, and by the time she was finished, her fire had burned low. She glanced at her wristwatch and frowned. "It looks like it's time to go, guys. See you in the morning."

"Wait." Tessa motioned to Colin, and he took a light blue flyer from his pocket. Ginny took it, and read:

_**

* * *

We've Done It Again!**_

_**Hogwarts is canceling its annual Halloween Feast, in favor of an annual Halloween Costume Ball. Students are encouraged to make their own costumes, and a reward will be given out to the most ingenious ones.**_

_**And another surprise!**_

_**We are sponsoring a trip to fellow wizarding school, Beaxbatons in France. We will be staying for only a weekend, and it shall take place on the second weekend in November. Forms have already been sent out to parents. For any questions, please take it up with your Head of House.**_

* * *

Ginny was wheeling in surprise. A whole weekend away from school! And she had an idea about that costume ball too… 

"What do you think?" Tessa was looking at her anxiously. Ginny didn't disappoint. She jumped onto the bed, and began jumping up and down.

"I LUUUUUUURVE THE FRENCH! VIVE LA FRANCE! LA BELLE, BELLE FRANCE!" She shouted, and soon had Tessa and Colin jumping with her. Psyche gave them a look that clearly said she didn't understand them, ruffled her feathers, and perched herself onto a chair corner, where she promptly fell asleep.

Forty-five minutes later, a very giddy trio kicked their way out of the Slythindor room, and skipped down the deserted hallway. Doubtless it had something to do with the bottles of Firewhiskey Ginny had gotten the house-elves to bring them.

"Sur le pont d'Avignon, l'only danse, l'only danse, surt le pont d'Avignon, l'only danse tout en rond!" Considering that was the only French song they knew, and they didn't know the other verses (or at least, Ginny and Colin didn't) they sang that loudly and with zest.

"May I ask what you're doing, Reeve, Creevey, Weasley?" The group turned as one to see Snape leering at them, apparently on his way to somewhere. Nodding sagely, Ginny whispered loudly to her friends.

"He's having a lover's spat."

Snape turned a brilliant shade of red. "Miss Weasley! Would you like a detention for every night of this school year and the next?"

Tessa sidled up to him. "Oh, Sevvy, you must be happier. I think you need a Cheering Charm or twp."

"I'll do it!" Colin hiccupped, fumbling with his wand. Ginny had hers out too, just as Tessa took hers from her robe.

"Now, just a minute here!" Snape began, but he couldn't say anything more after a sunshine yellow beam of light hit him square in the chest, one from each wand. Ginny stared blankly at the fallen man, who lay sprawled on the ground.

"He fell asleep!"

"Tha's not nice," Tessa slurred, then immediately collapsed. Ginny hoisted her onto her shoulder and looked incredulously down at her friend. "We only had a shot glass' worth. Wonder what she'll be like at the ball."

Colin put up four fingers. "It's in three days. She has three days to build up a topple-rinse."

"A what?"

"A togger-dense."

"Hmm?"

"A toffer—toffle—muffle—crotchelle—miffle—piffle—IMMUNITY TO THE DRINK!" He finally shouted, then promptly clapped two hands over one ear and ran screaming down the hallway.

Ginny looked after him a moment, shrugged, the walked in the direction they had been heading before, humming "Alouette" under her breath. When she got to her destination, she dropped Tessa like a log, knocked sharply on the door, and ran down the hallway. She hit the wall behind her first, so it took her a moment to disappear.

Moments later, Blaise Zabini opened the door of the Head Boy's room and peered down at the bundle at his feet. He looked around the corridor, but found nothing, and stepping out, he picked Tessa up and walked back in.

Draco was lounging in the chair by his desk, drinking something when he saw Blaise walk back in. "Who was it?" Seeing the girl in his friend's arms, he smirked. "These little girls will do anything to get with me."

Blaise gave him an unreadable look. "If they're little girls, then you're a pedophile. And it's Reeve, it looks like she got drunk."

"I bet you forty Galleons the girl Weasel and Creevey are close behind."

"Shut up." Blaise shook his head. "I'm taking her to my room, ok? Sleep tight, Draco." He walked out after that, leaving the blond to look at the door for a moment.

Draco took another swig of his drink and shook his head. "He's fallen hard, that one."

* * *

"Die, heathens…!" Ginny awoke to the sound of something falling over, and a clanging headache. Moaning a little, she sat up to find herself in bed. Someone was cursing violently and she tried groggily to clear her eyes. 

"Ah! Ginny!" Luna's wide eyes looked frantically to her from under the table. It was one of the few times Ginny saw emotion from her, and it startled her to full awareness.

"Luna? What's going on?"

There was a screech, and the girl yelped and ducked her head even further under the table. "How many are there, Ginny? I can hear only one, but there are more, I'm sure of it! Nothing else could fight like that!"

Suppressing a grin, Ginny held out her arm. Psyche hooted shrilly as she landed on it, and if looks could kill, Psyche's would have had Luna writhing in a pool of blood.

"I think you startled her, Lu. She may have thought you were an enemy."

Luna glared, but it was a muted one as she crawled out from the table. "Don't call me Lu. It sounds like a boy's name. I just came to tell you, the Chizpurfles hidden somewhere in the school got loose last night."

Ginny raised an eyebrow in a shockingly good impression of Draco. She'd heard from Salazar about the little beasts. "Yes? And what does this mean to me?"

Luna was back in her serene world. "They feed off of magic, you know? And they got rid of all of the magic in the trees outside, so now every single leaf has turned to fall colors and fluttered to the ground."

Ginny's eyes widened to match Luna's. "So this means…?"

Luna suddenly got what seemed like a wicked gleam in her eye. "Leaf War. I'll go find some Ravenclaws; they may not listen to me," she made a vague motion with her hand. "But if I can find Justin's girlfriend, Elsren—"

"Elsa," Ginny said absently. "She hates her full name."

"So if I can find Elsren, they'll listen to her." Luna said pointedly. She detested nicknames and last names, and only Ginny was exempt from this rule. "Let's make it school wide this time, please?"

Ginny pursed her lips, clambering out of bed and in the process having Psyche swoop away and onto the mantle. "There are House rivalries to think about."

"They'll get over it." Luna's eyes were pleading. "Please? You can have the whole area for twenty minutes before, and however long you want afterwards. By then Elsren and I will have explained the rules, and maybe Justin will help too."

Ginny was silent for a moment, before finally letting her shoulders droop. "Fine. I'm calling Tessa down, if I can find her, and Colin too for those twenty."

But Luna was gone, beaming in anticipation of Inter-House unity. Ginny sighed, wrote a quick letter to Colin and Tessa, gave it to Psyche and walked into the shower to get ready.

The great owl soared through the open window, calling its news of good tidings in the school to animals in the Forbidden Forest. It dawdled a bit at Hagrid's hut, where it hooted to Fang the dog that she felt big things happening. Fang growled back that the bird would have to be a gormless oik not to know that. Psyche nipped him affectionately in the ear before taking off, her wide wings flapping as she made her way to Draco Malfoy's window.

It was closed, which meant she had to spent a while tapping on it before Draco himself opened the window. She gave him a bite, as if to say he shouldn't have her waiting, and he tsk-ed as he took her inside his room. Blaise was sitting at the desk, and the shower was running in the bathroom. It shut off just as Draco sat down at his bed.

"You were gone a long time," he commentated. "Doubtless hunting."

Psyche swiveled her head this way and that, before flying away and back out the window. Draco leapt up. "Be back by lunch! I may need you for something!" He sat back down, a scowl on his face. "Bloody owl."

It was then that Draco noticed the note, and unraveling the ribbon, read it silently, the looked to Blaise. "It's from the girl Weasel. She's writing to Reeve, so I can assume either she or Psyche knew where Reeve was."

Blaise shrugged. "Not in my place to know. Why is she writing?"

"Something about a Leaf War." Draco said indifferently. "I don't know. Maybe we'll follow, see what it's about." Blaise was about to protest when Tessa came out of the bathroom, drying her hair with her and a light blush sprinkling her cheeks.

"Sorry again about the inconvenience," she said. "If I know anything, I'm sure it's Ginny who dumped me out there, and after practically forcing Firewhiskey down my throat too!"

Draco ignored the comment and showed her the letter. Tessa read it, a smile spreading slowly across her face. "I've got to go, thanks again though!"

Blaise looked at her in a way that suggested her wasn't happy. "Why the sudden need to leave?"

Tessa's grin broadened. "Nothing, nothing, but I suppose you'll find out soon enough. It's something Gin, Colin and I invented a year back. It's awesome fun, and it looks like Luna's convinced Ginny to hold a school wide one."

"Psyche seemed like she was carrying big news," Draco said reflectively. Tessa grimaced.

"Psyche's your owl right? She practically tore my head off, along with Colin's! And then there's Ginny, with the owl nuzzling her like there's no reason to get so fussed up about anything." In the end, Tessa was pouting, and Blaise was casting her sidelong glances. Draco was startled, to say the least.

"Psyche doesn't like anyone but me!" He started, but Tessa had already waved another goodbye and rushed out. Draco sat only a moment before standing up and going for his cloak.

"Shall we follow?" Blaise was already at the door.

"Following we shall do indeed."

* * *

Ginny was standing by the lake, beside huge piles of leaves. With barely suppressed glee, she flicked her wand in a looping motion, and the piles soared into the sky. A moment later, Psyche landed on her shoulder. 

"Given the letter to Colin and Tessa?" Ginny said softly. The owl angled her head, and held out her foot. Ginny took the letter and read it quickly, then sighed. "Colin's incapacitated, having fallen down a flight of stairs in his drunkenness. He's in the Hospital Wing, for God's sake, with a broken leg!" She petulantly informed the owl.

"Stupid of him, right?" Tessa appeared next to her. She had apparently visited the common room because now she had a bright scarf wrapped around her shoulders and a green and white beanie on her head to match Ginny's.

Ginny was wearing brown cargos and a jacket with a scarf, and she smiled as she replied. "Very. We'll visit him later. Now, shall we get started?" Neither of them noticed the two boys sitting in the branches of a tree and watching carefully. Tessa nodded, and they moved back.

Psyche, sensing danger to herself, flew up and away. "Wands out!" Ginny cried. "Face enemy and—go!"

There was a burst of light, and a pile of leaves flew and hit Ginny straight in her stomach. Considering its size, it was no surprise that she flew backwards and fell. There was a pause, before her head emerged, laughing.

"Ooh, you're gonna die now!" And the battle began in earnest. There was no more light, and the two relied on stealth and other forms of camouflage to stay hidden until they could attack.

"_Hesai_!" Ginny called suddenly, as at one point Tessa whirled to face her. Several piles began to speed from behind the dark-haired beauty, who turned, planted her feet firmly in the ground, and mumbled "_Riuti_!" The leaves formed a huge column, rising into the sky.

The column began to spin, and spin, until it was nothing more than a whirlwind of leaves and dust and grass. Ginny and Tessa made as if to run, but the whirlwind caught them. Draco and Blaise, hidden in the tree, hung on for dear life.

Suddenly, the cyclone slowed, and spread gently on the ground as a barricade of leaves. There was a long, long pause, then—

Ginny burst from the leaves, dancing madly as Tessa followed. The leaves started up again, but this time whirling into the sky and falling back down, over and over again, like rain.

Ginny laughed as she and Tessa darted between trees, throwing piles at each other until they collapsed, giggling and red-faced. The two girls joined each other in the middle of the clearing, and sat down, chattering gaily until others arrived for the school wide fight.

Ginny sat up and looked into the trees. "Malfoy, Zabini, if you'd care to join us down here so we can start this thing, I'd appreciate it greatly."

Draco dropped down, followed by Blaise. The blond looked a little quizzical. "How did you know we were up there?"

Ginny waved an airy hand. "There are no leaves on the trees, silly, and I saw the branches shaking even after the piles had subsided." Draco grinned, and her stomach did a little flip. He sidled up next to her and put an arm about her waist, drawing her closer. Neither of them seemed to mind the fact that the people who had come were watching.

"And that," he breathed into her ear, "That is why you fascinate me so, Ginevra." He drew back a little, and seeing the glazed look in the redhead's eyes, he smiled roguishly. Several girls in the crowd sighed.

"Ginny!" The two drew apart quickly, although Draco offered a sneer as Hermione, Ron, and Harry came rushing towards them, Hermione having spoken first. She looked remarkably upset, and drew Ginny aside quickly.

A grin lit her face as soon as they were far enough away, ruining the effect of anger. "Is he a good kisser, Gin? I've always heard he was…"

Ginny looked scandalized. "Hermione!"

The bushy-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, I've known for a while now that he's not that bad a guy, I even had a crush on him back in fifth year!"

"Hermione!"

The older girl seemed to ignore her. "But it's just, you shouldn't be showing PDA so much, it might kill Ron and Harry, they still need some getting used to the idea. Of course, anything behind doors I perfectly ok…have you two shagged yet?"

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione finally caught Ginny's eye and had the gall to look vexed. "What? It was only a question, Gin, and I'm very sure I should be allowed to know. You're too young for that anyway, and I need to know, do you use pro—"

Ginny had clamped a hand over her mouth. "We have not shagged, or even kissed, because we are NOT going out!" she hissed. "Malfoy was just being a git back there, no big deal. Harry and Ron shouldn't get their knickers in a twist!"

Hermione mumbled something, before Ginny had the sense of mind to remove her hand. "Sorry, Gin, but you looked every inch the couple with him there. You two would be so beautiful too—" She stopped abruptly at Ginny's look. "Of course, only if you wanted it to happen. But just be careful, most of the school was watching, ok?"

Ginny smiled and linked arms with the girl. "Of course, 'Mione. What are you doing for this Halloween thing?"

Hermione blushed. "Ron and I—we're going together. Me as a doxy, and him as a ghoul." Ginny smiled, and it stayed on her lips even as they ended up in the middle of a full-blown verbal onslaught between Ron and Draco.

"Oh, and I suppose I'm not qualified enough for your sister?" Draco was saying. Ron was absolutely livid with rage.

"Of course not! You're a bloody Slytherin, and she's a Gryffindor! And you're a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake!"

"He carries the name, Ronald, not the whole piffle." Ginny interrupted. "Didn't we talk about this last night? We are Weasleys. Right?" Her brother nodded slowly, and she continued to speak as thought talking to a small child. "And Weasleys are supposed to be poor, but didn't Dad prove everyone wrong when he pulled through with that promotion? Ron, we're only still staying in the Burrow because after me, Mum and Dad have the whole place to themselves!"

He eyed her warily. "And?"

She sighed. "And it means that just because you carry a name doesn't mean you have to carry the characteristics." She cast a glance at Draco. "Although this one got far before he actually realized that."

Draco made a face, and then let the tiniest smile creep across his face. Ginny smirked and turned back to Ron, who had seen the whole exchange and was now red in the face. "So be good, Ron, and maybe I'll consider moving back in."

Tessa had drawn the crowd's attention away from the group and walked back over to them, smiling inanely. "They're briefed. This is gonna be fun, and we want it to last, so let's get going."

Ginny hung back with Harry as the group floated away. "What do you think?" she said, knowing somehow that the raven-haired boy knew exactly what she was talking about.

"He's changed." Harry said. "But I'm keeping an eye on him. Be careful, ok Gin?" She smiled widely.

"Aren't I always?"

* * *


	11. Their First Fight

Ok, I was typing and I thought, "Gods, I hated the last chapter and I don't exactly love this one too" and now I know what's wrong. But I need your opinion: Anyone who wants Draco/Ginny action must review, and if I get enough, then I will have some in the next chappie…no answers today, I've typed this all up in a one hour period and now I have to go out.

Disclaimer: Urgh… I own Harry Potter as much as I own Los Angeles…NOT AT ALL,

* * *

**their first fight**

**issalee

* * *

**Ginny looked warily at her best friend, who was currently advancing on her with a demonic gleam in her eye. "What is it, Tessa? You'd think I have better things to do then become your guinea pig."

The dark-haired beauty shook out her curls as she sat on her friend's bed. It was lunchtime. They were in the Slythindor Room, having just visited Colin, whose bones would be done re-growing by the ball the next night.

"You're not my guinea pig, Gin. It's more like—my Pig-widgeon." She giggled a little, and then leaned against the pole of the four-poster bed. "What are we doing for this Ball, Ginny?"

The redhead picked idly at a thread in the silk covers, and shrugged. Psyche hooted from her spot on Ginny's shoulder, expressing anger. Ginny raised a hand to absently stroke her.

"Maybe we'll just drag sheets on and go as ghosts. Or stay here and get drunk, then crash the party." She smiled, as did Tessa.

"Nice, Gin. But I was thinking of actually winning the prize—I heard it was going to be something really rare, a founder's item even." Ginny arched an eyebrow.

"Well then, we must win it." She picked up her knapsack from the top of her trunk and looked through it. As she did, a book with a piece of parchment sticking out fell to the bed. Tessa picked it out and read it, her face getting brighter.

"Gin! We'll go as a Vampyre, the spells from the book are in here!" Ginny snatched the paper away and grinned inanely.

"This is good, Tessa. This is very good." Her smile faded into a frown. "But the blood sucking part…I suppose I can make a Resistance Potion easily enough, but it might not be strong enough."

Tessa waved a hand dismissively. "I have faith in you, Gin. If anyone can do this, you sure as heck can. Now that we've gotten that all done and over with, which Vampyre are we going as?"

Ginny checked the list. "I'm going as a—what fresh hell?" She eyed the paper with a frown on her features. "A Dixel?"

"You picked it."

"But I just liked the name!" she protested. "And look at yours—Obsidian Spirit? Can we switch, please?"

But Tessa was firm, and the girls bickered even after they had left the room. They had to return Psyche, who had been staying in Ginny's room and refused to leave. It was a good opportunity to be seen with Draco anyways, to fake living with him.

"I don't like this, Tessa, they didn't even have pictures!" Ginny protested. "What if I end up looking all dorky? I mean, a Dixel! That's like—like pixel or something! I'm going to be a computer nerd with fangs!" she wailed.

Tessa shook her heads. "You're overreacting, Gin. I'm sure it will be just fine, and seeing as the ingredients are all basic, we can both probably brew ours in minutes. It only takes about twenty for it to finish, right?"

"Right." Ginny conceded to failing just as they reached the portrait, of Celina the Morose, announcing the entrance to their room. Celina seemed to be very pretty, with long, golden hair tied back with a red bow and wide blue eyes. She was slouched on a red chair, sort of like a throne, and looking glumly at them.

"Password?"

Ginny groaned. "I forgot to get it from Malfoy! But could you let us in anyway? He's—a friend."

Celina shook her head. "I'm so sorry, I can't do that." Suddenly, she burst into tears. "I can't do anything these days! I'm just so—depressed, you know? Since Ulasim left me, I've nothing to do these days!"

The two girls exchanged a look, before Tessa spoke soothingly to the picture. "There, there. Why don't you tell us what happened?"

Celina let out a wail. "He left me for that red-haired bimbo on the sixth floor!" Sniffling, she looked at Ginny. "No offense, dear."

Tessa pushed Ginny, who had her wand out, and stepped forward. "None taken. I'm sure Ukase will come back to you, how can he not? You're beautiful! It's all a matter of waiting."

Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. "I've been waiting for THREE CENTURIES! Isn't that long enough?" Her cries escalated, and the two girls covered their ears.

"AUGREY FEATHERS!" A voice roared, and Celina, still crying, swung open. Draco walked briskly past the girls, Blaise following after him. After a moment, they followed.

The blond-haired Slytherin immediately slumped by the window seat and shook his head. "Honestly, you'd think she would have gotten over something like that ages ago." Muffled sobs were still coming through the portrait hole.

Ginny shook her head and sat down next to him. "Here's your owl. She's adorable, I have no idea why you'd hate her so."

Draco looked up at her in surprise. "Adorable? That she-demon?" Psyche jumped to his shoulder and bit his ear, then took off as he yelped.

Ginny laughed. "That was your own fault, for making fun of her." Tessa sat down on the bed, one hand wrapped around the post. "What are you two guys going as for the ball?"

Blaise shrugged. "We don't dress up."

The girls looked scandalized, and Draco sneered. "Why would we? It's childish, anyways." Ginny pinched him.

Ignoring his scathing look, she stood and put her hands on her hips. "It is not childish. It's an expression of our inner selves." After a moment, she added, "And it's the best way to scare people without getting into any trouble whatsoever."

She let out an ungainly squeal as Draco pulled her down onto his lap. She struggled and he laughed. "Come on, an expression of our inner selves? So I suppose when the Muggles dress up like witches and wizards, it means they really have green skin and warts on the inside?"

Ginny blushed. "Shut up." She muttered furiously. Tessa and Blaise laughed, but after a moment, Draco looked down at the redhead again.

"So I take it you're going? And as what?"

Ginny smiled. "We are going to be Vampyres. Tessa will be an Obsidian Spirit, and I'm—a Dixel." She ended flatly. To his credit, Draco didn't laugh.

"And you're making these costumes?" Ginny squirmed until he let go of her, and she seated herself comfortably on the other side of the window seat. "Actually, we're making the potions that make these costumes. We're going to be actual Vampyres!"

"Blood-sucking and everything, then?" Blaise asked, interested. Tessa sighed.

"Well, yes, but Ginny's enhancing a Resistance Potion to resist the urge. Maybe we should have someone there, though, to make sure we don't go overboard." She bit her lip worriedly. Ginny clapped her hands.

"Ah, the _bella principessa_ has an announcement." She stood regally on the seat, holding her chin high. "You, Draco Alexander Malfoy and—" She paused, leaned down and whispered something in Draco's ear. The boy smirked and said something back softly, and Ginny straightened.

"Yes. You, Draco Alexander Malfoy, and you, Blaise Matthew Mason Christophe Zabini are to be the guards for one miss Ginny Teresa Weasley and Tessa Andromeda Reeve."

They stared. She giggled.

* * *

Tessa and Ginny made their way to Potions after lunch, dreading their encounter with Snape, as it would be the first time he returned to teaching after the first Objective, and the first time they would see him since hitting him with the Cheering Charms. 

Ginny made as if to back out of the Potions classroom halfway through, but ended up running into Harry, who held her tight.

"Going in, Gin." He steered her inside despite her protests, grinning madly all the way. Ginny looked around—

And saw no one.

As the other students filed in and time passed, whispered conversations began. Snape was never, never late for a class, since he had started teaching.

A Ravenclaw student in the Advanced Potions class tugged at the door leading to their room, and found it locked. Ginny looked at Tessa hopefully.

"D'you think maybe he's still knocked out?"

At that moment, Snape swept into the room, wearing a red and white beanie, neon orange robes, and curly toed shoes. His hair had been dyed a cheerful red, not unlike the red Ron's was, and he smiled at them.

A Hufflepuff screamed and passed out on the spot. Snape eyed her happily. "Oh, goody, someone seems to like my new look! I suppose it was a drastic change, but—it was needed!"

He snapped his fingers and some house-elves appeared. "Take her to the Hospital Wing, please, if it's not too much trouble." Snape's voice had taken on a sickening sweet tone. He turned to the rest of the class as the house-elves and the girl disappeared.

"Now then, today we won't be doing any drab, boring potions!" He clapped his hands, and the curtains drew apart, shedding sunlight all over the room. Snape strode over to his desk, flicked his wand, and smiled (several students shuddered) as a set of vials appeared.

"Today we'll be making—PERFUME! It'll be a great thing to make early, as you have to let it set, so it will be ready by Christmas. You see, these perfumes will be magical, and you may enhance them in any way."

Ginny edged towards the door, her fingers twitching. She found Tessa's hand and pulled, but the sharp movement caused Snape to look at them.

"Miss Weasley!" he said jovially, and crossed the room in three broad steps. "Come now, you must try the perfume I made a few days back!"

He gripped her arm tightly, quelling any excuses, and steered her to the front of the room. Snape picked up a small vial filled with a lilac colored liquid, opened it, and sprinkled it deftly over Ginny's head.

The redhead froze, squeezing her eyes shut as the scent of vanilla assaulted her nose. She waited for some sort of noise to alert her to what might have happened, but instead, she heard a collective breath from her classmates.

Ginny opened her eyes, and found herself to be unharmed. However, the same could not be said for the rest of the class. Everyone was knocked out, and snoring loudly. Ginny cast a bemused glance at her brother, whose head was lolling to the side.

"Professor, what does this--?" She turned, and found Snape slumped over the desk, arms flung wide, and drool gathering at the corners of her mouth. Shrugging, Ginny went over to the cabinet where all the ingredients were kept for potions and picked up a few things. She mixed a few of them together, and as it curdled, she smiled wickedly and held the vial up.

It smelled of rotten eggs, and slop heaps, and pigs, and dirty gym socks. Ginny smiled. "Wicked…"

* * *

The Potions class awoke almost six hours later, just in time for dinner. Ginny was absent from the classroom when they awoke, and many people—panicked. 

Ron, for example, strode up to Snape, grabbed him by the collar and shouted. "WHERE IS MY LITTLE SISTER?"

Snape smiled giddily. "I don't know! But don't you love my perfume? It's for those dates you just can't stand! Would you like to try another one?"

Ron dropped his teacher and hastily scrambled backwards. "Er, yes, well, I have to get going. It's dinnertime, don't you know." He dashed out of the classroom, followed closely by the rest of his class. Harry, Hermione and Tessa caught up with him as he walked down the hallway.

"Snape is mad! He's killed my sister!" His face paled. "Do you think he's actually killed her?" Harry shook his head.

"Of course not, Ron. Maybe Ginny just up and left, you know."

"Or maybe she's in some other dimension, floating around and looking for a way out while her head and arms and legs are slowly being spliced apart."

They all stopped and stared at Tessa. She shrugged. "What? It's possible!" Snorting, Ron walked past the group and opened the door. He stood there for a moment, almost stumbling at his abrupt stop, before running in.

"Ginny!"

She looked up from her seat at the Gryffindor table, where she had previously been lounging around. Her eyebrow quirked upwards. "Ron? Did you miss me?"

He rushed forward and hugged her till she was struggling for air. "Ah, maybe that question was rhetorical. Ron—RON!" Her brother backed of, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry about that. But you worried me!" For a moment, the fact that Ginny had moved out of the common room and was supposedly sleeping in Malfoy's room seemed to be forgotten. Ginny almost felt sorry for what she had done.

Almost.

The rest of the school was already milling around inside of the Great Hall, and as the tardy Potions group took their seats, the food appeared. Tessa sat down next to Ginny, smiling. It faded quickly as the redhead looked pointedly at the food she wasn't touching.

"Objective: Eat It And Die has been put into action," Ginny murmured. Tessa, bemused, nodded. "Should we warn the Dragon and—oh, what was Blaise's and Carina's?"

Ginny's slim fingers tapped lightly on the table. "Blaise is Blaze of Glory, and Carina is The Blonde One, although why she picked that I don't know. Maybe we should warn them…But only because I'm not all that mad at them at the moment."

Ginny had been staring at Draco the entire time she was talking, so when he locked eyes with her, she was startled from her reverie. Making sure that no one was looking at her, she pointed at the food and shook her head.

Draco took the hint, and a moment later, she saw him motioning for Blaise and Carina to join him. Ginny grinned and turned to Tessa.

"See?" Her eyes swept the occupants of the Great Hall, all of whom were eating quickly. "The potion starts to work in five…four…three…two…one!"

There was a lull in the talk, as though everyone had been listening to her countdown. Then, a massive roar started up. In front of students at every table, their food rose up and took on weird blobby shape. Several students screamed.

Ginny grabbed Tessa's hand and they ducked under the table as the Food-Beings attacked. They crawled out the other side, and smiling grimly, and went under the Slytherin table.

Draco was reclining against a bench, Carina was huffing slightly, and Blaise was sitting with his chin resting on one leg as he picked food out of his hair. He looked up at the girls. "You could have made this prank a bit less messier."

Ginny smacked him playfully. "What, and miss out on all the fun?" The noise had stopped, so cautiously, they crept out from under the table.

And immediately exploded into laughter.

Every student who had taken even a bite of their food was now floating inside of their own Food-Being, and they didn't seem too happy about it either. The Staff Table was completely victimized. Not one had made it away, not even Dumbledore.

Unfortunately for them, though, their laughter drew the attention of the few Food-Thingies that had not managed to find a victim. As they came closer, Blaise inclined his head towards Ginny.

"Shall we run?"

"Run we shall." She took off sprinting, as did the people next to her, and the blobs behind her. The Food-Monsters were considerably slower, but even so no one stopped running until they were through the portrait hole and into Draco's Head Boy room. There they collapsed on the ground, out of breath.

It was only after Celina's wailing about how they shouldn't hurt her feelings by having group snogging sessions without her stopped that Ginny sat up. She pushed her hair out of her vision and sighed.

"Well, that's two Objectives for this school year down. Anyone have any ideas for the next?" They all stared at her, and Draco spoke first.

"Weasley, are you crazy? We've just pulled something; we have to lay low for a while! Doubtless everyone saw us running off together, and we'll be questioned about that for sure, I bet you that."

"So what do you think we should do?" Ginny said, slightly put off. "I refuse to be bored for the rest of this school year!"

"You seem to do that even with these pranks."

Ginny stood up, fuming. "Well, it's not my fault I need something to do! Not everyone has a someone they can shag every night!" And, livid, she stalked out. Carina blinked.

"What was that all about?" Tessa scrunched up her nose and rolled over onto her back. "She has a lot of excess snogging energy to get rid off. Ginny hasn't had a steady boyfriend since last year, and she spent all the summer without any catches because of the war. She needs to snog."

Draco snorted. "Girls."

* * *

Ginny spent the whole of the next day frostily ignoring Draco, who didn't seem to mind. It was only when Colin joined them, fully healed, that a mini-smile even made itself towards her face. 

"What's gotten into her?" Colin whispered to Tessa as soon as Ginny made her way to an Advance Level class. Tessa shrugged.

"She needs to snog."

And the whole day was spent like that. Ginny ignoring Draco, him ignoring her, and this managed to cause a lot of animosity between the Slytherin and Gryffindor House as a whole. If Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley, who were supposedly dating, managed to go right back to hating each other after such graphic rumors it was living proof that not only could a Slytherin and Gryffindor not go together, but neither could a Malfoy and a Weasley.

But as the night drew closer and with it the Ball, all ill will disappeared, to be replaced by a last-minute frenzy to make a costume.

Seamus Finnegan had managed to blow up most of the Gryffindor seventh year boys' dorm when he attempted to Transfigure the whole thing into a portable ocean costume. A Hufflepuff sixth year had burnt every single hair off her body when she tried to make herself into a temporary werewolf. A Ravenclaw seventh year was now in the Hospital Wing with feathers sprouting out of her—er, rear end.

Ginny and Tessa had immediately holed themselves up in the Slythindor room with Colin after dinner. They had used their own cauldrons to begin brewing the potions, as Colin sat on the bed, his legs swinging over the side. He was going as a giant, for lack of ideas, and had tied wooden blocks to his legs and borrowed a pair of Hagrid's trousers. He looked more like he was swimming in a brown ocean then a giant.

Someone knocked on the door. Ginny looked up, squinting to see past her hair. "Come in!" The door opened, and Luna walked in. No one spoke for a moment, before Tessa picked at a strand of her hair and looked curiously at the blonde.

"What are you?" Luna was wearing a big, poofy green and red-checkered beret on her head, but it was flipped sideways. Her radish earrings were still swinging from her ears, although she'd left her wand behind. She was wearing an off the shoulder pink shirt with poofy sleeves and a pattern of blue flowers sprinkled across its surface. The shirt ended just above her navel, and a pair of blue shorts and pink sandals completed the look.

Colin fell off the bed.

Seemingly ignoring the poor boy, Luna smiled dreamily. "I'm a Muggle. I only thought it right. They dress up like us, right?" Ginny nodded, a real smile on her face.

"It's great, Luna. I love it, you're sure to get some sort of recognition for it." She glanced down at her potion, which was now spilling over the sides and foaming. Tessa's was doing the same. "I guess we'd better get into costume now." She said nervously.

Tessa nodded, and took two goblets from her bag. She dipped each into one of the cauldrons, and then set them next to each other. As Colin struggled back to his feet, Ginny took the Resistance Potion she had made earlier that day and took a sip. Tessa did the same.

"Right, so, whatever we end up looking like, we stick this through, right?" Ginny said nervously. Tessa nodded. "And if we end up looking horrible, all the better. It's Halloween, anyway." Ginny smiled, and they both picked up their goblets and drained them.

Luna looked at them oddly. "You're changing colors—your skin is paler." It was the last thing either of them heard before they both passed out.

* * *

Draco sat against his window seat, glaring icily outside of the window. Who did that girl think she was? Her, get mad at him, Draco Malfoy? No one got mad at Malfoys; they got terrified! 

"Are you going to sulk all day, or are you coming to the party?" Blaise peered through the portrait hole, his hair mussed slightly. "Come on, mate, don't tell me you're still sulking over this whole argument. Ginny'll be right as rain soon, trust me."

"She's a Weasley," Draco said morosely. "She can hold a grudge for all of twenty centuries." Blaise entered the room fully, with a questioning look on his face.

"So you're upset about this for real?" Draco was silent for a moment before he sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, the girl Weasel was actually quite—entertaining."

"So you miss her."

The blond eyed his friend spitefully. "Yes, I suppose so." Blaise quickly crossed the room and grabbed his friend's arm, ignoring the protests as he dragged Draco out of the room. "So then you'll see her and apologize at the party, which we are late to."

The halls were filled with monsters and decidedly normal looking people (not only Luna had decided to go as a Muggle) as the two Slytherins walked past them and into the Great Hall, where they had agreed to meet with the rest. It was dark inside; save fro several multi-colored lights and a pulsing beat. The tables had all been shoved to the walls, to make way for a dance floor.

Carina pranced past her brother, wrinkling her nose. She was dressed as a cat, and had even managed to get a fake tail and ears to twitch when she wanted them to. "Nice outfit, Blaise. And what is the git? Gods, a wizard? So original!"

Draco glared at her. "What I would give for permanent silencing charms, sometimes." Carina purred and waggled her eyebrows before she padded over to mingle with some friends.

Blaise looked around. "I don't see them." Draco snorted. "Who would see anyone who's important here?"

The dark-haired Slytherin grinned. "So you're saying that A) you're not important but B) Ginny and Tessa and Lovegood and Creevey are?"

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off as Harry walked up to them. "What, Potter?"

Harry shrugged. "Just wanted to know if you've seen Ginny."

Draco looked past him. "You're without your sidekicks. Surprising." Harry gave him an indiscernible look, before finally saying, "In case you haven't noticed, they're snogging by the doorway."

Draco turned and immediately turned back. He shuddered inwardly. "That's not snogging, Potter, they're eating each other." Harry smiled a little.

"At least they're finally together. So, have you seen Ginny? I heard Tessa and Colin talking; they said you two are going with them."

Blaise answered. "Yes. But they haven't—" His mouth suddenly fell open, and he looked like a fish out of water. Harry waved a hand in front of his face. "Zabini?"

But then he and Draco looked, and only two identical words escaped their mouths.

"Holy crap!"

* * *


	12. And The Winner Is

Thanks to** xiaoj, jip91, Screwy Louie12, **(Pretend Ginny did it, for my sake) **GlassBroomsticks, wickedfaery, AnitaBlakeBuffyFan, HyperSquishy, preciousonee, caity-b, Nickitjuh **(How to resist the puppy eyes? So for you, yes to the action) **remembrances, america sucks move to europe** (well, I love cliffies, as long as I'm the one putting them in of course...) **ArcherOfDarknessAndCallie, **(Well, I gave Harry someone. Yes, Ginny has to fulfill the bet, and imagine livin with big brotherly ways for all of your sixteen years of life, and I'll check out your fic...Forever, right? And I lost class president in the fifth grade too! Although I exacted my revenge for that...And I'll be ruler of the world. Me. Me. Me. I've got it all planned out...NYC goes down first.) ** iceprincessgrl **(Well...now they're snogging, but dating? I don't think so) **Provence** (All Library comps should be Apple. That would make life so much easier) **youngwriter56 **(Don't die! I updated, see!) **lil-miss-me119, Yochy, Jeeths **(Only if you say 'need' a lot of times) **A Lonely Heart Breaker **(O.o You wouldn't mind terribly if I used some of your ideas, would you?) **and blackfox360.**

Yeah so…the voting seemed pretty unanimous…and the dance scene was something I actually had to do. My partner was actually v.v. cute, but…kind of a jerk. And the outfits? Thank the Gods for Google image searches.

Disclaimer: Someday…somehow…I'll find out how to get ownership.

* * *

**And The Winner Is...**

**issalee **

* * *

Ginny was very pleased with her new look. 

Apparently, a Dixel was not a computer nerd with fangs. Which she was v.v. thankful of. Twirling once more in the middle of the Great Hall amongst the silence, she admired her outfit.

Fishnet tights, in a pure, pure white, ended just above her knees. They seemed to be the exact same color as the white lace-up ankle boots she wore on her feet. Her dress was short (she wasn't sure on how she was going to sit down) and ended about a stapler's length from her waist. Her back was bare save for criss-crossing laces across it. It was of the shoulder, and white, while the laces were as pale blue as they could get. A huge white and pale blue bow seemed to sprout from just above her waist, and its tails drifted serenely behind her.

Ginny's body hadn't changed much, but her hair had grown at least two feet longer, and was now just underneath her waist and flowing like it was underwater. It had darkened to an almost brown red. She smiled, baring two fangs. The light reflected on the choker she had around her neck; a white stone held by a dark blue ribbon.

Behind her, Tessa nudged her. "Show-off." Tessa seemed a bit more brilliantly decked out. Knee high black boots joined long black pants that flared a little at the end. Wrapping around her body was what seemed to be a mass of black ribbons, which ended as a belt that became a long, wide ribbon. There were no straps. Elbow-length black gloves were attached at the wrist to wide, swooping pieces of the black silk, formed to look almost exactly like a bat's wings, but it was only on her left arm.

Tessa's hair had been streaked with a dark red, and as she smiled, fangs appeared under her lips too. She looked around in the crowd, and grimaced. "Gin, your brother's eating Hermione…"

Ginny looked, and her face contorted just as Ron came up for air. He looked over at what seemed to be making everyone so quiet, and as soon as he saw his sister's outfit, he began to turn red. "Ginny! What are you wearing? I didn't see you come in!"

Ginny ignored him, choosing instead to melt into the shadows with her newfound (and rather fun) powers. "That's because you were too busy sucking face, brother dear."

Draco was startled (read: about to pee himself) when a hand rested on his shoulder. He spun around, ad found himself face to face with Ginny. She suddenly reappeared next to him, and (still shorter then him) she leaned into his chest.

"All's forgiven. Will you be my guard so we can have fun now?" She said sweetly. Draco rolled his eyes, but secretly, he was reeling at how she looked. Suddenly, she noticed Harry and smiled wickedly at him.

"Harry! You're dressed as that Muggle character, what's his face—"

"James Bond." Harry finished for her. "I've bought a flat already for after Hogwarts; come by during Christmas hols and I'll let you see some videos."

Ginny nodded happily, and Draco felt a tightening in his stomach. They were certainly…chummy…but all feelings were put aside as Ginny grabbed his hand and dragged him away, waving bye to Tessa and Blaise and Harry.

"Where are we going?" He asked, as soon as they were out of earshot. No way was he going to let anyone think _she_ was leading. Malfoys just didn't follow. Ginny turned back to him and wrinkled her nose.

"I dunno. What do you want to do?" She suddenly seemed very childlike, and the big bow behind her added to the effect. She looked up at Draco, her eyes wide, and he suddenly felt like kissing her.

An upbeat song suddenly came up, and Ginny's face brightened. "We shall dance!" Draco stiffened.

"Malfoys do not dance. In public." He added after seeing the gleam in her eyes. Ginny's face fell, and Draco had to resist the urge to go and dance to please her. Seeing this, Ginny turned on the big guns.

Her I'm-Way-Too-Cute-And-You-Know-You-Love-Me-I-Know-It-Too pout was too much, and Draco relented. Ginny smiled and dragged him onto the dance floor before he could protest.

As he danced, Draco had to admit, Ginny was good. Especially because of her clothes, and her style, she seemed very—alluring. And other guys were noticing it too. Draco decided to point it out, lest he end up decking the guys.

"Weasley," he said, as he dipped her back. She waited until she had grabbed onto one of his shoulders and completely shocked him by sliding down his body and around one of his legs before answering.

"Yeah?" It took him a moment to regain his composure, and even then he had to fight to keep from blushing. "Weasley, you realize there are guys staring?"

She thought about that for a moment (and repeated the move around Draco's other leg) then popped up and said brightly, "Yep! No problem though, cuz they all probably think you're my date. Haven't you noticed the death glares I've been getting from the girls and the ones you've been getting from the guys?"

But Draco didn't answer. How could you, when a girls suddenly grips your shoulders and smiles up at you in such an—endearing way? Without really thinking, he put his hands on her hips and slid one down the length of her leg. She wrapped her arms around his neck and spun in a wide circle, so that she ended up in front of him and falling backwards. He caught her.

They stayed like that for a moment, before loud applause caught their attention. Draco let Ginny up and she blushed a little as she realized that sometime during the dance, everyone had stopped to watch them.

Draco smirked at her. "What, Weasley? Never been in the spotlight before?" She pinched him and he smiled ruefully. "A joke, Red. It was a joke. Are we done dancing yet?"

Ginny nodded, and he led her off the dance floor. They almost tripped over Colin and Carina, though, who were nestled in a corner alcove. As soon as they passed, Ginny whispered to Draco, "Bet you Colin's missing his family jewels tomorrow."

Draco frowned. "Why do you say that?" Ginny shrugged. "Don't you think Blaise will have found out by then?" She laughed, and Draco fought to keep a smile off his face. They left the Great Hall, for lack of something to do.

"Where's Lovegood?" Draco said suddenly. Ginny shrugged. "Be right back." She moved back until she was in the shadows and disappeared. Draco stared in surprise, and she was back a few moments later, a silly grin on her face.

"Oh, Luna's in good hands." Draco looked confused, and her grin grew wider. "In Harry's good hands." She laughed at the Slytherin's contorted face, then grabbed his hand and led him further down the hallway. She stopped just outside of a window and climbed on the sill.

"It's beautiful…" Her fangs glinted a little in the moonlight as she looked at the courtyard below. Draco, caught off guard, answered. "Yeah…beautiful."

"You're looking at me, Malfoy, not the lake." She grinned as Draco shook himself. "No big. I know I'm irresistible." He growled in the back of her throat and she shook her head as she slid back down to the ground.

"You're evil, Weasley." Draco said after a moment, and slid down to sit next to her. She grinned cheekily and disappeared. He heard her voice whisper just next to him, "I know." And then she was gone.

Draco stood and looked around. "Weasley, that's not funny! You're supposed to stay with me and you know it!" No one answered, and with a frustrated groan, Draco started running.

* * *

Ginny giggled to herself as she reappeared down another hallway. It was way too easy to worry him. He was good at heart… 

"Wow! Are you a real vampire?"

She turned and saw someone—he looked like a sixth year, with light blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair was gelled back, and he seemed to be dressed as a bookshelf. He was a Ravenclaw, then, or a mini-male Hermione.

Ginny started as the boy moved, and the moonlight bounced off a pale neck. One that seemed impeccably smooth, and unflawed… Ginny fought the urge she was getting, but the Resistance Potion only worked with spells, not natural urges. That's why they needed bodyguards…

The boy looked on in fear, paralyzed as Ginny advanced and tilted his head to the side, so as to better access his neck. Her fangs grew an inch longer and she held them, poised to bite—

"No!" Someone had suddenly grabbed her around her middle and dragged her back. She hissed and attempted to get away, getting even more furious as she watched her almost prey run away. She turned back, and saw—Draco.

"Weasley, calm down! You almost bit him!" he scowled darkly when she didn't listen and suddenly she was pressing him against the wall, opening her mouth. Draco panicked—he had to distract her somehow.

So he kissed her.

Not on her mouth (with those fangs? Why don't you go do that…) but instead on her own pale neck. Light butterfly kisses, and she immediately stopped, transfixed by the pleasure she was feeling. Her fangs pulled back, until they were only slightly longer then normal canines.

Draco was only vaguely aware of this, and he pulled his head back up warily. She looked at him, eyes narrowed, ready to attack, but then he kissed her full on the lips.

She moaned into his mouth as he assaulted her fully, pressing upon hers so hard it was a wonder she didn't bite herself. He put his hands around her waist, pulling her closer, and she gasped softly. He took this as a chance to let his tongue enter her mouth, slowly, inquisitively. She welcomed it, after a moment, and let her arms wrap around his neck.

It was purely euphoric from that moment on. Whoever had started with the violins and fireworks things had forgotten all about the explosions in their ears, and the absolute ecstasy of tasting something so sweet, and the frustrations and emotions all pouring themselves into each other, and the way neither was aware of anything but each other, and the noise, and the need and the bliss and—

Oh, the bliss.

Draco broke away first, but only to line more kisses around her jaw line, and down her neck once more, but Ginny soon pulled him back up to her lips. Everything was forgotten; breathing, friendships, the party, the costumes, the vampirism, the rivalries—

Everything but each other.

It must have been at least ten minutes later before they finally stopped, and found themselves in an awkward position. Draco was slumped against the wall, and she was kneeling into his hold.

The blond-haired Slytherin looked at her then, with something akin to adoration. Her eyes were half-lidded and looked heavy, and her lips were swollen from the force of their kisses.

She needed only to look up at him and they were snogging again, lost in their sense once more. "Ginny…" He groaned, and she responded with his own name.

"GINNY WEASLEY!" She jumped, expecting to find her brother, but it was coming from the direction of the Great Hall. "AND TESSA REEVE HAVE WON!" There was muffled cheering, and everything rushed back to Ginny.

As it did to Draco. He stood abruptly, and looked down. "Better go accept your prize, Weasley." She looked at him, confusion evident in her eyes, and he suddenly felt like scum as he kept talking.

"Thank the Gods I could distract you—else you would have killed the poor boy. Go on, Weasley, you've won."

Hurt flashed across her face, then anger. Without another word, she moved back and was gone. Draco instantaneously slumped against the wall, his head in his heads.

What had he just done?

* * *

Tessa caught Ginny's arm as soon as soon as she appeared. She noticed the state of her friend's face instantly, and with a wave of her hand she had it disappear. Ginny would talk to her later. 

The two made their way to the front of the Great Hall, where Dumbledore was beckoning to them with a wizened finger. Snape was behind him, dressed in the exact same outfit, a floofy beard (which he had dyed pink) and curly-toed slippers. He had somehow managed to insert glitter in his eyes in an attempt to recreate Dumbledore's twinkle. The old wizard, for his part, ignored the Potions Master and looked to the two girls. "You two have outdone yourselves! That is indeed, a winner's costume!"

Tessa smiled and nudged Ginny, who forced on a fake one. "Thank you, Professor." They chorused. Dumbledore nodded happily and presented them with two red velvet bags.

"What is it?" Ginny said, puzzled. She opened hers and out of it came two bracelets, both green velvet bands with a white diamond set in the center. She gasped, as did Tessa, who had an identical bracelet, but with a red velvet band.

Dumbledore's smile grew. "Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin were great friends back in their time. They were much more then friends with Helga Hufflepuff and Rowena Ravenclaw." He winked, and the two girls blushed. "They had these made for them."

"What does it do, Professor?" Tessa asked. Dumbledore's smile looked like it was going to split his face apart now.

"You keep one. If you give it to someone who means enough to you, your souls will be bonded. It's a very touching gift, and the bracelet can refuse the person who receives it. They've only recently been found. Use them wisely." He finished, then ushered them into the crowd.

Tessa hugged her friend. "Ginny, if it wasn't for you I would have never gotten this!" She trailed off as she realized her friend was exactly thrilled or elated. "Ginny, what's wrong?"

A single tear fell from Ginny's eye, and Tessa took hold of her best friend's hand, ignoring Blaise's voice from behind her as she and Ginny vanished into the shadows. They reappeared in the Slythindor room, where Ginny wasted no time in telling Tessa of the events of earlier on.

Tessa was absolutely livid. "We should kill him!"

Ginny shook her head. "It's ok, Tessa. It was just a kiss, ok? There's no reason to get so worked up over it, so don't worry. It meant nothing to me."

Tessa was baffled. "What? But—Ginny, you can't be—"

"—Serious?" Ginny interrupted her. "Oh, but I am. It was nothing, Tessa. Go back and enjoy the party—I know I saw you snogging Blaise before you found me, and it seems only right," she teased.

Tessa blushed, but she still looked uncertain. "Are you sure you're alright?" Ginny shoved her out the door. "Of course! I'm fine, ok? Just enjoy yourself!" And she shut the door before he friend could say a word.

Ginny sighed to herself, and crawled into her bed. She licked her teeth, feeling the elongated somewhat. She curled up into a ball, and cried to herself.

* * *

The next day, Ginny was not in Potions class, nor was she in Charms, or Care of Magical Creatures. Tessa, who had woken up the next morning with her hair still streaked red and still wearing her Vampyre outfit, was in too much of a hurry to change, so she couldn't visit Ginny in the morning. During lunch, Tessa risked sure death by bringing Ron, Harry and Hermione to the Slythindor room, saying only that it was a sort of closet like the Room of Requirement that only certain people could get into. Colin and Luna followed. 

There was loud music coming from inside, and Tessa speculated that Ginny had apparently decided to charms several things to play. She knocked hard on the door. "GINNY! GINNY! ARE YOU IN THERE!"

The music was lowered, and Ginny shouted back, "I'm in here, I'm just feeling a little sick. Go away, Tessa!"

Ron looked relieved. "Thank the Gods she's fine." But Tessa kept up her pounding on the door. "GINEVRA TERESA WEASLEY! IS THAT PRODIGY I HEAR I THERE!"

"I love this song!" Ginny shouted out and turned it louder so that no one outside could hear themselves think anymore. They all retreated to where they could hear again, and Ron looked to Tessa. "So she's ok?"

Tessa looked pale. "She hates Prodigy."

From around the corner, Draco and Blaise suddenly appeared. Draco looked a little pale, and annoyed. "Snape wants me to check out what's making all the noise down here."

Tessa glared at him. "You spineless mongrel! You know EXACTLY what the noise is and what's causing it!" Her French accent became apparent more and more as she became angrier. "You hade better DRAG your MISERABLE little ARSE in there and do something about it, or we'll all make sure you never walk again!"

He looked at her impassively. "Ok." She stood, too furious to be confused as they followed him to just outside the room. He knocked loudly, but no one lowered the music. Rolling his eyes, he cried, "Miss! Miss! Tis me, I have your food!" in a perfect imitation of Dobby.

They all looked at him in shock and he shrugged. "It's what I would do; hole myself up in my room and get Dobby to bring me something. The house-elves don't walk into rooms with a racket—they don't want to interrupt anything."

Sure enough, the music was lowered and a moment later, Ginny stuck her head out, long hair still intact. Her eyes narrowed as she saw the group and she attempted to shut the door, but Draco put his foot in front of it.

"Weasley, I think you and I have to talk about something." She glared for a moment, before grabbing his tie, dragging him in, then shutting and locking the door. She turned to face him icily. "What?"

Draco had been caught off guard by her attire. Long, baggy sweatpants and a tight black shirt ending just above her navel. She had braided her new-length hair in one, long ponytail. "Why are you staring?" She said irritably.

He noticed the cups with coffee dregs at the bottom and felt a pang of guilt. He'd prevented her sleeping…there was no way of backing out of this now. "We have to talk, about that kiss, Weasley."

She eyed him warily, unwilling to show him any emotion. "What about it? And don't you think it was several?" He wanted to scowl, but he kept his face clear.

"Yes, those kisses. I just wanted to say, they meant nothing to me." Lie Numero Uno. "It was just a distraction." Lie Numero Dos. "I didn't want you to hurt that boy." Actually, that kid had pranked him a few times, so it was Lie Numero Tres. Ginny didn't let anything show on her face as he held out a hand.

"So, Weasley, seeing as it's not proper for a Malfoy and a Weasley, not to mention a Slytherin and a Gryffindor to be snogging, how about we call it a truce and resume that alliance?"

She stared at him, but then something registered in her eyes. They began to shine, and Draco instantly regretted his offer, but before he could take it back, she had gripped his hand and pumped it up and down.

"Friends, Malfoy. We're friends." She stood on her tiptoes (he was so tall, damn him) and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Friends with benefits, that is." She shrugged on her robes, then, blatantly ignoring the dress code, and slipped into sneakers.

"Thanks for the visit." She said brightly, then opened the door and stepped out. Everyone looked at her expectantly, but she ignored them and walked on. A moment later, Draco followed, looking a little dazed.

"What happened?" Harry was looking at him oddly. Draco snapped out of his trance and shrugged angrily.

"How am I supposed to know?" he looked to Ron. "Your sister's an evil little girl, watch her closely." He marched briskly away. Blaise smiled cheekily at Tessa and pecked her on the cheek before following.

She glared after him as the crowd turned their gaze to her, expressing curiosity at this twist of events.

Meanwhile, Ginny was on top of the world.

* * *


	13. Meeting Bast

Thanks to everyone who reviewed (and consequently seemed to fall in love with the outfits I picked) **AnitaBlakeBuffyFan, GlassBroomsticks** (I'm afraid I've changed their friendship to something of a rivalry...I didn't mean for it to happen, but it just did) **youngwriter56, TheDoomer, I-Confuse-Everyone **(Thanks very much for that, I really need to check over my work while typing)** america sucks move to europe, Yochy, blackfox360 **(Those occasional moments are due to the fact that I usually type up these chapter as THREE IN THE MORNING. I'm an insomniac; for example, at the moment, it looks to be...4:46 AM) **PP Ruffie** (Nein, zey are normal) **siriusandharryluvr, Acontiae Malfoy, GoldenFawkes **(Bless you, you're one of those rare people who really understands my jokes. My parents think I have a morbid sense of humor...) **Nickitjuh, joanne, My Dream's Shadow, A Lonely Heart Breaker**(You should be my beta...gang up on him, eh? You wait for the chapter after next...)** and brownsugar3**.  


_**To see a picture of Rabastan (Ok, so it's Rabastan Lestrange, but I chose the name and features and I needed a model so…) type in **_etc**DOT**slashcity**DOT**net**BACKSLASH**trinity**BACKSLASH**characters**BACKSLASH**rabastanl**DOT**html _** Oh, and if anyone's wondering, click back on the list of characters and you'll see how I picture Blaise, Tonks (her picture is awesome) and Neville. (Gods, they made him look v.v. cute!) I haven't used the pic of Draco as he looks too much like a vampire for me, or any of the other characters because…I dunno, I don't really see them that way.** _

Disclaimer: I—oh, piffle. It's not mine, all right?

* * *

**meeting bast**

**issalee

* * *

**Ginny was on top of the world.

Well, maybe not on top of it, but she fancied she was close enough. Rather, she was sitting on the sill of a window in the Astronomy Tower, at three in the morning. In her lap were the two bracelets she had been awarded by Dumbledore.

With slightly hesitant hands, she slipped one of them on and let out a muted gasp as it shrank to fit on her wrist. With carefully veiled interest, she watched as the diamond glowed of its own accord, making her skin feel a little hot underneath the band, but then it cooled and dulled again.

Shrugging it off, Ginny made her way back to the Slythindor Room.

* * *

Blaise was awoken the next morning by an owl. It was of medium stature, with wide, yellow eyes and totally white feathers. It stood stiff until Blaise had removed the letter from its leg before taking off, not waiting for a treat or a reply. Blaise picked up the letter and scanned it quickly. 

_**Blaise,**_

_**I'm visiting. I'll be here by dinner; take it outside, by the lake. Dumbledore has called me in for some business regarding my company; it will be done by then. Bring the Malfoy and Carina with you.**_

_**Rabastan**_

Blaise let the letter drop slowly, before covering his face with his hands. "Holy crap…" He wasted no time in getting out of bed and throwing on some clothes, then rushing off to find his sister and Draco.

* * *

"Do we ever get anything other than pumpkin juice to drink around here? For Merlin's sake, I want a SODA!" Tessa picked irately at her food, still obviously angry about the dissection of her relationship with Blaise the other day. 

Ginny wasn't really paying attention to her. Her eyes were focused on Draco, who seemed troubled, as did Blaise and Carina. "Tessa, Colin," she said softly. Her dark-haired friend rolled her eyes and looked at her.

"What?" Colin, on Ginny's other side, was already looking at her inquisitively. Ginny motioned to the Slytherin table. "Are you guys up for a little spying?"

Blaise, Draco, and Carina all got up and left just as she finished with her statement. No Slytherin looked twice; no teacher seemed to care. Ginny didn't have to wait to see her friend's nods. Carefully, she slid away from the table and out of the Great Hall.

The group of Slytherins seemed jittery, she noticed, as they walked. Colin and Tessa joined her soon, and the three followed the people ahead of them silently. The assemblage ahead led Ginny and Co. to the lake, where someone was already sitting under a tree with a dark cloak covering his face. Ginny performed a Disillusionment Charm on herself, and motioned for Tessa and Colin to do so also.

They crept behind a tree, just as the man spoke. "Blaise, Draco, Carina. Always good to see you."

Blaise didn't seem to feel the same way. "What is it you want, Rabastan?" The man pulled back his cloak, to reveal a very handsome face. He was pale, with dark eyebrows and the same blue-green eyes that Blaise and Carina shared. A diamond earring glittered in his left ear.

The most striking thing about him, however, was that his hair was a pure, untouched white, roots and all. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I thought it was blonde before."

Rabastan shrugged. "My work is killing my hair color." He smiled, exposing perfectly white teeth. "And you, Draco? How are you?"

The blond Slytherin didn't make any move to show that her had heard what Draco said, Rabastan didn't seem fazed and looked down at Carina.

"Dearest girl, I've heard much about your doings. You aren't so against Muggles as we thought you to be, is that right?" Carina seemed to quail in his presence, something that she didn't do to just anyone. Rabastan flinched.

Blaise stepped in front of her, eyes cold. "I said, what is it you want, Bast?" The white-haired man shook his head, almost fondly.

"I remember how you used to call me that when we were younger. You couldn't pronounce my full name. What happened to those times, when we were the best of friends?" Blaise smiled coldly.

"Things change. Could you tell me the nature of your visit so that you may leave?" He clearly didn't want Rabastan around any longer, and the man took the hint.

"Fine, Blaise. I understand. I just wanted to drop by and say hi." He looked about for a moment, as if checking no one was there, then leaned and said, "But just to tell you, little brother, Father is not pleased. I don't suggest going home for the holidays."

Ginny felt Tessa reel back, and almost did the same. Colin was leaning against the tree, and she could feel his hand stiffen, close as it was to hers. Rabastan was Blaise's older brother? But he was a Lestrange, wasn't he?

Blaise nodded impassively. "Thank you, Bast. We'll be leaving now." And with nary a backward glance, he and Draco started uphill.

Carina hung back for a moment, before leaping up and giving the man a hug. He looked surprised and patted her back awkwardly. "It'll all be right soon, Bastan." She said softly, then ran after her brother.

Rabastan didn't leave, though. As soon as they were out of sight, he strode over to the tree where Ginny, Colin and Tessa were, and randomly groped about. Ginny gasped as she felt him grab her arm, and in her panic removed the charm.

Rabastan looked at her coldly. "A spy? At Hogwarts? Surprising, and one so young too. What were you doing, pretty one?"

Ginny was determined not to show any fear, and didn't say anything. Rabastan smirked. "No matter. How about I take you with me, eh? One less worry for the Headmaster."

Ginny's nerve failed her as he started to walk away, and she began to struggle. Behind her she heard the whispers of the counter-spell for the charm, but a voice caused them to stop.

"Leave her, Bast."

She looked up and found Draco looking coolly at the both of them, walking back from the school. He stopped when he was next to them. "She's with me."

Ginny had a terrible urge to shout out some very degrading things about that time, but kept her mouth shut as she felt the white-haired man's grip loosen. But his jaw was set.

"She's with you, Draco? She looks like a Weasley." He quirked up an eyebrow. "I heard from your mother that you were changing but this—this comes as a surprise."

Draco let the insult slide. Instead, he took Ginny's hand in his own and pulled her to him. Rabastan reluctantly released his grip, but Draco didn't let go of Ginny. Rabastan was still eyeing them suspiciously.

"I don't believe it, Draco. You've been raised too strictly for something like this, even with your father gone. Prove it." Draco's grip tightened.

"How would you like me to, Bast?"

Ginny suddenly felt very much like a rabbit caught between a wolf and a fox. She looked behind her for help, but she had the feeling Colin and Tessa were way too interested in this exchange to be of any help.

"Kiss her." Unknowingly, Ginny cringed as soon as he said it. Rabastan noticed and a smirk made its way onto his face. "If she is so repulsed, how is it that she is—with you?"

Draco resisted the need to roll his eyes, and before Ginny could protest, he pulled her closer to him, dipped her back and kissed her.

But as soon as he initiated the kiss, he found he couldn't stop. His fingers were running through her hair, ruining the braid she had put it in. In some sort of retribution (or maybe she hadn't noticed and was just doing it) Ginny let her own fingers play with his hair, removing the effect of the gel to produce spiky-haired punk look.

Ginny took the initiative this time, when she broke off the kiss so as to nibble lightly on his lips. Draco groaned and pulled her back up, realizing at the same moment that they probably needed to sit down else they'd fall over. Instead, he stood up straight, taking Ginny with him, and breaking them apart.

Panting, red in the face, and disheveled, the two looked to Rabastan, who had something akin to horror and amusement on his face. "Gods, Draco, I asked you to kiss her! That was way too much for me!" He waved, and walked a brisk pace towards the gates.

Draco let go of Ginny and stuck his hands into his robes. "Don't kid around with Rabastan." He said softly. "He's one of Blaise's older siblings. They don't contact him often; Rabastan was named for Lestrange. Very weird, he is. He's nice, but spent a year in Azkaban for leaking information to Voldemort."

Ginny, still reeling from the kiss, managed to question him. "Is he mad?" Draco looked stunned for a moment, before letting out a chuckle.

"He's as sane as Lestrange, so yes. He's Carina's favorite brother, but she's been afraid of him because of his fling with the Dark Arts. Blaise used to look up to him. Now he's got nothing much left to look up to."

Ginny could sense that Draco's brain was starting to shrug off the effects of the snogging, so she quickly asked him one last thing. "Why won't it be safe for Blaise to go back home?"

Draco was silent for a moment, before he sighed. "Our fathers were alike in many ways. His has probably learned that Blaise is nothing like what he pretends to be. That's why Carina spends all her holidays here and her summers with her cousins."

He looked sharply at her. "And be careful, Weasley. I'm not going to snog you again to save your life. It's becoming tedious." He swept his cloak about him and stalked off, leaving Ginny to lean against a tree.

Colin and Tessa soon became visible, and they immediately rounded on her, eyes wide. "That seemed like an enjoyable kiss!" Colin teased. "I was wondering if you guys were going to be latched at the lip for a moment."

Tessa merely smiled, and Ginny shook her head contritely. "It's not over yet, you guys." Sighing, she slid down the trunk. "He's an excellent snogger, mind you, but I'm supposed to have the last word before I forget about him!"

"What are you talking about, Gin?" Tessa looked down at her.

Ginny shrugged. "I'm not sure, really. See, what I was thinking is if I can get the last word in, maybe even a snog or two, then walk away from it and leave him behind and whining, I'd win. And I did, yesterday, in the Slythindor room. But he just had the last word, which means that I have to try and get the last word in!"

"You mean last snog," Colin said wryly. "Are you sure this isn't just a ploy to kiss him? And don't you still have that bet?"

Ginny smiled. "But that's where all this comes in! See, if Malfoy and I hate each other and everything goes back to normal, I give him the gift, he burns it. I'll ask him out to Hogsmeade for Valentine's Day, he says no."

"But if he's whining after you, then there's a chance he'll treasure the gift and say yes to Hogsmeade." Tessa said reasonably. Ginny sulked.

"Malfoy won't like me, ok! It's obvious, anyways." She said, a bit sadly. "But that's just fine!" At her friend's looks, she attempted to change the subject. "I got a letter from Mum saying I could go to Beauxbatons this weekend. Are you both coming?"

They nodded, and she stood and linked arms with them. "Well then, we must be off! We've got packing to do!"

Her infectious humor soon had the three of them laughing, and the dilemma with Draco was forgotten—for now, anyway.

* * *

"You snogged her again?" Blaise smiled at the fuming Draco. "This is getting to very redundant, don't you think?" 

Carina snorted. She was sitting on the edge of the desk and letting her legs dangle over the side. "It was only twice, Blaise, but from what I can tell, they seemed quite steamy."

Draco was banging his head against the wall, and stopped only to glare dizzily at her. "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about." And he resumed.

Carina rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna go find Colin." And she hopped off the desk and walked out. Blaise stood abruptly, worry in his eyes.

"Why is she going off to find Creevey? What's so good about him?" Draco, who had only succeeded in giving himself a headache, slumped in the window seat. "Mate, you sound like the girl Weasel's brother."

"Sod off." Blaise kicked absently at the bed. "Your rocky relationship with Weasley is ruining mine with Tessa."

Draco looked over at him. "You've asked her out?"

Blaise blushed and rubbed at the back of his neck. "I did last night at the party…she's a great girl. And our families are both pureblood and hers is well-off…so it's really a good thing—"

Draco suspected Blaise was just babbling on, as he knew his friend would have gone out with Tessa even if she had been say—a Hufflepuff.

"Are you going on the trip this weekend?" Blaise said suddenly. Draco nodded an affirmative, still gazing out of the window. If he squinted, he could see Ginny's hair as she, Colin and Tessa walked back into the school…

"AARGH!"

Blaise stepped back as his best friend suddenly jumped off the window seat and unto his bed. "Why can't she get out of my head!" was the muffled cry.

Blaise smirked as he walked over to the bed. "What did I tell you, mate? You're in lurve… and it looks like you've fallen badly."

"But I can't like a Weasley!" Draco's head shot up. "A WEASLEY, for Merlin's sake. Do you know how much dishonor I'll bring to the Malfoy name? It's bad enough with my dad in jail—I mean, come on!"

Blaise shook his head. "You're hopeless. I think someone should knock some sense into you. It would really do you a load of good, you know?"

Draco dropped his head down on a pillow. "I hate her…" Blaise patted his back.

"No, you like her, and funny as it may be to see you so confused, I think you need to realize that. Now, why do you li—hate her?"

Draco rolled over onto his back and stared at the air. "She's bittersweet, you know. She'll say two words and my whole day is ruined (A/N: Recognize this, Nikki-chan?), and even then all she has to do is smile and I'll forget all about it." He covered his mouth afterwards, but Blaise was already grinning.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner!" He crowed. "Draco Malfoy has indeed fallen for Ginny Weasley!"

"Holy hell, Blaise. Shut up!" Draco leapt for the covers, but Blaise had already pounced on him and was dragging him off the bed.

"Oh, joy of all joys! The bells are ringing, Lucius Malfoy is probably crying, the Dark Lord is spitting in his grave, DRACO MALFOY IS IN LOVE WITH A WEASLEY!" Blaise started repeating the words over and over in a singsong voice, twirling Draco around the whole time like a ballet dancer.

Draco grit his teeth as he tried desperately to get away, but his feet were caught in the covers, and Blaise was only making it worse.

"Holy crap! Look at that! Draco and Ginny are kissing! They seem to enjoy it, but Gods they enjoy it! It's a love that will last forever!"

"I'll kill you…I'll kill you…I'll kill you…" Draco whispered under his breath. The only worse possible thing that could happen now was—

"Hey, I forgot my bag here—oh, holy—my brother is gay." Carina stared at them for a long time, catching the whole moment when Blaise tripped and fell, causing Draco to go with him, and both of them to end up sprawled out on the ground on top of each other.

Carina dissolved into giggles, and as Draco pushed Blaise off of him, he muttered, "I would like it to be made known to the public that all Zabinis will die, and just for good measure, let's throw in Potty too."

Carina threw a pillow at him, and it caught him square in the face. He toppled backwards and fell back on top of Blaise. It took him a moment, but he finally found his wand and jumped up.

"I will be avenged!" he cried and sprinted after Carina, who had already taken off. Blaise lay back on the floor and looked around.

"I wonder what kind of damage I could do here…" He gave an experimental wave of his wand, and came up with a picture of Ginny. Another flick and it had turned into a poster. Blaise rubbed his hands together, an evil gleam in his eyes.

"Excellent…"

* * *


	14. La Belle France

Oh, Horror of Horrors. **_BILL AND FLEUR'S WEDDING IS ON THE 30th OF JUNE, SORRY FOR THE MISTAKE._** That's what I get for typing too fast…  
YAY! 100 reviews and up, so this means two updates for you! Hit two hundred and I'll give you all three…Anyways, I just wanted to make it clear, I AM DRINKING A WHOLE LOT OF MOUNTAIN DEW AT THE MOMENT, and anyone who has read my authors notes at the beginning of fics understands that this is not good for me. Or my writing. So everything could be a little muddled. Or not. Or—just read it.

Disclaimer: …………………I suppose it doesn't belong to me. But that doesn't mean I don't wish it did.

* * *

**la belle france**

**issalee **

* * *

Ginny was enjoying herself immensely. 

She'd woken early (big shock for everyone who knew her) and had snuck into Draco's room to get her trunk. Of course, it didn't help that she had screamed in horror as she saw her face plastered everywhere; on the walls, the floor, the furniture, and when Draco leapt up in bed, he ended up tearing off posters from his body.

Blaise had been leaning in the doorway when they both calmed down, laughing like hell. He explained that he had hidden the posters with a spell that would expire when someone besides Draco walked into the room…and Ginny had done just that.

So after she'd managed to dodge the curses and get her trunk, then dodge them again to get back out, it had all pretty much been the best she could hope for.

Ginny had spent her whole summer's allowance on an outfit that she loved, and had donned it for the occasion. A black, sleeveless (but not strapless) turtle-necked dress with dark blue laces wrapping around her waist, along with a dark blue ribbon and fingerless gloves that went up to just under her shoulders. And she had all but threatened Tessa with death until they'd gone five miles to the nearest shop where she could get knee-high, high-heeled, slip on boots in dark blue.

She, Colin and Tessa had been the first people to get to the leaving docks. They were going to go to Beauxbatons via Thestral drawn carriages, and she clambered into one with her friends not far behind.

"Gin! Look at that! It's the Seine, the river I was telling you about!" Ginny crawled over Colin's lap for what seemed like the hundredth time so she could see where Tessa was pointing. She looked down at the water, so much like a snake and smiled.

"It's beautiful, Tessa!" The carriage veered suddenly, and she fell of the chair and onto the ground.

"Are you ok?" Colin asked her as he helped her up. Ginny shook her head, then clutched at it. "Ach, stupid hair!" She held up her hair, which she had braided once more. "How was I supposed to know there were side effects to that damn potion!"

Tessa jumped as the braid swung her way. She prodded her own red-streaked locks. "Look at it this way, Gin. We lose the fangs, the powers, and the general Vampire-osity of it all, but gain new hairstyles, new clothes…and er…that's it."

"The bracelets!" Colin said. "Don't forget the bracelets." Ginny sighed and looked down at hers. It only came off now if she really needed it too, and even then it was like it had a life of its own.

Absently, she stroked the diamond on it. "I suppose you're right. But it doesn't mean I don't want a new hairstyle." Tessa fingered one of the red tresses in Ginny's hair thoughtfully.

"I dunno…I think I like it! The color at least, it's like a nice auburn—"

"No, it was auburn before." Colin interrupted. "It's more like a dark strawberry blonde." Ginny shook her head.

"You're both wrong! It's the color of fire—the exact opposite of Malfoy's actually, seeing as his looks like ice."

There was a sudden cracking noise, and Ginny held in a scream as the arm her bracelet rested on turned deathly cold. Colin and Tessa scooted back and she glared somewhat blearily at them.

"Some friends you are!" She cried, just as the diamond exploded. A cool, crisp voice was suddenly whispering in her head.

_"My dear, are is it ok if I show myself in front of your friends?"_

"Who are you?" Ginny said, panicking by now.

_"I'll take that as a yes. Stand back!"_

This time all three of them let out screams as something began to form in the middle of the carriage, warping the air. Ginny leapt to the far end of the carriage, and Colin attempted to get behind her. She stopped being terrified long enough to whisper fiercely in his ear.

"You're supposed to be the GUY! You're the one who protects us!"

Colin's eyes swung to the now shining area of air, and he gulped. "Suppose I'm gay?" Ginny smacked him on the side of his head.

There was a final whooshing noise, and then everything just stopped. Tessa got up cautiously and looked around. There was nothing there. She looked out of the window, and everything looked normal.

"What in bloody hell was that?" She motioned to Ginny and Colin that they could stand up, and as the redhead did so, she lost her sense of balance and almost fell over.

"You guys!" She said, her eyes wide. "I think there's something on my braid!" Something slithered underneath the ponytail and up her back, then around her shoulders. A great gust of air in her ear told her it had wings and it had landed on her shoulder.

"What is it?" She said frantically. Colin gaped. Tessa pointed a shaking finger at her.

"Ginny, you've—you've got a dragon on your shoulder!"

"Correction, my dear. I am an Elemental Creature, not a dragon." The cool voice replied. The weight on Ginny's shoulder lessened, and the owner of the voice flew in front of her, flapping its wings to stay aloft.

Two pure black eyes were staring at her in undisguised amusement. The dragon was slim and an icy blue color. It had a long neck, and a rather rounded body, but its wings were huge things. They seemed a little awkward when they weren't moving, but when in flight, the little creature had grace. Two horns protruded from just above slightly floppy ears, and as it smiled, it showed fangs on the bottom and top jaws, and a long tail with a spade like end flowed behind him.

"Hello." It said nicely. "My name is Gwinn. I'm an Elemental Creature, and you are my charge, etc, etc, etc."

Ginny stared. "Excuse me?"

Gwinn folded his wings as he floated down to the floor of the carriage. He lifted up a claw and licked it. "My dear, you summoned me when you called my element; ice. I'm supposing Gwen might have told you about that—" He looked around, and his eyes darkened. "Where is Gwen?"

Ginny shook herself out of her stupor. "Um, if you're looking for another dragon, you're the only one we've seen." She offered. Gwinn smiled disarmingly, baring his teeth.

"No matter. It means you haven't found your second half yet, but it'll all come in due time, I'm sure. Anyways, if Gwen isn't here, then it means that I must be telling you about our work—which means you have to tell your friends to stop staring."

Colin and Tessa flushed and sat down on one side of the carriage. Ginny sat on the other, and Gwinn stayed on the floor. He flicked his tail experimentally and yawned. "Pardon. Right, well, I, as I have said, am an Elemental Creature. Salazar Slytherin captured me and another one, Gwendolyn, to serve as soul-bonders. Godric captured the other two Elements. They were much more compatible then Gwen and I."

"Wait," Tessa said smoothly. She held up the arm with her own bracelet on it. "So does this mean I have my own—er, Elemental Creature too?"

Gwinn surprised them all when he shot over to Tessa and sat in her lap, his hands wrapping around her bracelet. "Yes," he breathed. "This is Earth or Air; more specifically, Dirk or Aislinn. Find out who it is! Let them out!"

Tessa pulled her hand back. "How do I do that? And why would I anyways?" Gwinn sighed and leaned back on his haunches. Tessa resisted the urge to shiver as she felt the air cool around her.

"Because, my dear, once we are released we can't go back in until the souls of the people are bonded, and even then we may grant them one desire." His eyes glazed over a little, as though he were seeing some sort of video in his mind. "Godric wished for Hogwarts to carry their memories forevermore; thus the Sorting Hat, their portraits, things like that. Salazar wished for a protector for his house. A bit selfish, it was, but I helped him find the basilisk."

He looked back over his shoulder at Ginny. "Sorry about that, my dear girl, but understand, it was only acting on orders that it couldn't go against."

Ginny nodded silently, but then stopped mid-nod. "How did you know about that?" she demanded.

Gwinn shrugged, sending his wings into Tessa's face. He scratched the top of his head sheepishly. "Sorry. Ah, but anyways, Ginny, you and I are bonded. I can read your mind, and in turn, you and I can talk telepathically. It makes for great fun!"

Ginny crossed her arms icily. "But you won't read my mind without my permission, got that?" Gwinn nodded his head.

"Of course! I wouldn't dream of it. I'm just here to help you find your other half, your soul mate. Are you willing to accept me?" Ginny looked at the miniscule dragon in front of her, sensing that he was nervous.

A wide grin split her face. "Sure. But you've got to be inconspicuous!" Gwinn let out a happy trill and took a deep breath. He let it all out in his hand, and it formed a rose. He flew into Ginny's lap and handed it to her, smiling somewhat sheepishly.

"Thanks very much!" Ginny took the tiny flower and tucked it in her hair, knowing she'd probably regret having to feel it melt later. "Now, Tessa, you have to get yours out. If all I had to do was say ice, you try earth and air."

The dark-haired girl smiled nervously. "Now, Tessa, you have to get yours out. If all I had to do was say ice, you try earth and air."

The dark-haired girl smiled nervously. "Um, sure. Earth?" the diamond shook gently, but nothing happened. Gwinn clapped his claws together.

"It'll be Aislinn, then!" Tessa took a breath, and squeezing her eyes shut, she whispered, "Air?"

The diamond burst, and a brilliant light filled the room. Everyone save Gwinn covered their eyes and crouched against the seats as the same phenomenon happened again, and this time, when it was over, a dragon that looked exactly like Gwinn was floating gently in midair, only it was snow-white with blue eyes.

"Hello." It said gently. "My name is Aislinn, and I'm here for Tessa, my charge?" Tessa raised a finger nervously, and the dragon smiled.

"Ah, there you are. I sense Gwinn is here, but no one else. A shame, really, I sort of miss Gwen. She's much funner then Gwinn."

The ice dragon flapped his wings till he was level with her. "Nice to see you too, Linn. You don't seem very much different." His tone had turned brusque, and Ginny was reminded of Draco for a moment.

"Um, you guys?" Colin interrupted before the dragons could start anything. "Getting past my feelings of jealousy and all that, it's great to have mini-dragons and all—"

"Elemental Creatures," Gwinn said.

"Whatever." Colin decided to ignore the murderous glared both Creatures shot him. "The point is, most people will think you're dragons, and that's reason enough for Tessa and Ginny to get in trouble. So you'll have to hide somehow."

Aislinn landed next to Tessa, and nuzzled her charge's arm. Tessa smiled and scratched at the Creature's head. "Maybe they could transform into something. Could you?"

Gwinn cocked his head to the side. "Actually—yes. But I don't like it."

Aislinn snorted. "Only because you don't get to shoot your mouth off." Gwinn opened his mouth to protest but Aislinn cut him off. "Just shut up and do it, pretty boy."

Grinding his teeth audibly, Gwinn obliged, and there was another bright flash of light.

* * *

Ginny stepped out of the carriage and breathed in the scent of flowers gladly. She stopped though, she saw the castle. 

Beauxbatons was beautiful. Clouds on every side surrounded it, and it was only then that Ginny realized they were either situated on a very tall mountain or floating. The actual castle was located in the very middle of a huge field of multi-colored flowers, branching out on every side. Students in the traditional Beauxbatons uniform were lounging about, looking very much elegant even though they were supposed to be sprawled on the ground.

The fortress was of a lighter brick shade than Hogwarts, and had blue-capped turrets and shutters. There was a large, ornate iron door leading into it that was open, and a glint of blue caught the afternoon sun. Music was coming from inside, and students were walking all around clutching cotton candy and stuffed animals.

"Ginny! Tessa! Colin! _Comment vas tu? Je suis tres contentre pour te voir!_" Gabrielle Delacoeur approached them, with a boy about her age trailing behind resignedly. Gabrielle embraced all three of them, perfectly at ease while other people got out of their carriages and rustled about.

She turned to Tessa, and the dark-haired girl offered a comment in French. "_C'est jolie, n'est pas?_" She held up her right arm, to show the bracelet that closely resembled a white dragon with sapphires for eyes. Ginny had a matching one, only pale blue with onyx for the eyes.

Gabrielle smiled obligingly. "_Oui, oui, c'est tres jolie!_ Er, Ginny, eet eez a pleasure to 'ear zat in June we shall be sistairs!"

Ginny smiled. "I'm looking forward to it." She looked behind Gabrielle to see the boy, still looking rather disgruntled, especially when Gabrielle had hugged Colin. "I take it he's your date?"

Smiling happily, the blonde girl pulled the boy forward. "Zis eez Christophe Mequen! 'E and I 'ave been going out for seven months now." Ginny put her hand forward.

"Nice to meet you, Christophe." He smiled, and took it. "Likewise." Ginny was surprised not to hear any accent tracing his tone. He noticed her expression and explained. "I am American. I moved here only a few years back, as my parents, who are French, wanted me to learn in a French school."

But Ginny didn't get to hear anymore, as Gabrielle was dragging her across the grounds. "We must go inside! Today eez ze Faire Du Selene, for ze Moon Goddess, you know? And I have set up a booth I vould love for you to join me in!"

Ginny couldn't help but laugh at this bubbly blonde. "Sure, Gabrielle, I promise you I'll help in the booth."

"Ginny!" The redhead turned and waved to her brother and his friends. Harry, Hermione, Luna and Neville smiled and waved back. She didn't notice the group of Slytherins getting out of the carriage behind her, nor the pale-haired one that gaped at her for a moment before shutting his jaw.

Gabrielle had raced up to Harry and thrown her arms about him. Recognizing that this was NOT a member of the family, Christophe suddenly grew a scowl. Harry patted the girl awkwardly on the back.

"Er, hello." Gabrielle beamed and kissed him on the cheek, then did the same to everyone there. "You all must come! Ze Faire, eet eez _fantastique_! I look forward to eet every year. We have rides, and games, and this year, I have set up a nice booth for us all. Would you, 'Arry, and Ronald, and—oh, what is your name—Neville! Would you like to participate in it?"

The boys nodded a little uncertainly. Gabrielle extended a hand to Hermione and Luna. "Of course, you may also participate if you wish, and Colin will do so too, as will Tessa!" She frowned as she counted them. "Very good, but I want to get you something—" So saying, she turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

"Well—she certainly is—enthusiastic!" Hermione said. Christophe chuckled.

"That's not part of it. Wait till you find out what you have to do! Thank the Gods I made sure she stayed out of this one, and me too."

"What do you mean?" Harry frowned. "What kind of a booth is this?"

Christophe looked over his shoulder. "She'll find us wherever we are, so come on, follow me." He led them past the students lounging in the flowers, and through the gates. They all gasped.

"Tut, tut, shut your mouth this instant! Your jaw is touching China…" 

Ginny ignored Gwinn's voice and let her eyes focus. The courtyard here was huge! And lining every yard of it was one booth or another, selling things. Further down she could see a few rides and food booths. "Awesome…" She breathed, and ran to catch up with Christophe, who had led the others farther away.

He stopped in front of two large booths with stools behind then. On the top of one, scrawled in elegant script were words written in purple. On the other were the same words, but in pink. Christophe covered his ears expectantly just before a simultaneous scream arose.

"A KISSING BOOTH!"

* * *

"You know, this isn't that bad." Tessa lounged on one of the stools, picking idly at her nails. Hermione glared at her and wiped her mouth. 

"You say that because you had that cute sixth year go after you! I got the hulking behemoth of the third years!" Ginny and Luna giggled.

"At least the boys seem like they're having fun…" Luna said. They looked over just in time to see Neville blush bright pink as a girl plunked down a few coins in front of him.

"How much is that?" Tessa asked, and Ginny leaned as close as she could. Her mouth opened in a small 'o'. "That's three Galleons! I think she wants three full snogs!"

The girl was a petite blond (all the students seemed blond or part veela, at least. She had to stand on her tiptoes to kiss Neville, and even from where they were the girls detected a smattering of tongues.

"Oh, gross!" Ginny started laughing. Ron looked over at her, an irate expression on his face until a girl who was full veela walked by and all but demanded a kiss from Harry. He stared morosely at the girl while Harry gave her a Galleon's worth of kissing. Ginny wasn't sure, but she thought she saw Luna's eyes narrow and tear a little.

"Oh, Ginny, are you enjoying yourself?" Gabrielle bounced in front of them, carrying a large and white stuffed bear and a box of chocolates in the other. "I brought zees for you!" And she handed them the chocolates and was off.

Ginny opened the box and picked a random one, commenting lightly on her soon to be sister-in-law. "Does she remind you of anyone?"

"Besides you?" Tessa deadpanned.

Ginny choked on the chocolate. "I am NOT hyperactive! I've told you; it's just something I do, for Merlin's sake! I just get bored very easily." The three girls next to her rolled their eyes, but she ignored them and hunted through the chocolate.

"Hey, awesome!" she held up one that was a pure white. "It's a Snow Glow!" The chocolate was shining alternately, and she popped it in her mouth and was satisfied to feel complete and total numbness in her mouth.

"Ah… At's oo!" (That's Good!) Hermione chose to move away from her and sit at the very end of the booth. Luna smiled out to the crowd, and Tessa decided it would be best if she took the chocolates. They were just about to start wrestling over the box when a voice interrupted them.

"A Kissing Booth?" Draco quirked an eyebrow up. "That's very low, Weasley. Are you that desperate for money?" Behind him, Blaise rolled his eyes, but Pansy (who had been stalking them) giggled in a high-pitched voice.

Ginny's face turned a light shade of red, but she kept her mouth shut (This was mostly due to the fact that the Snow Glow was still in there, and she wouldn't risk embarrassing herself). Hermione decided this was the best time to stick up for Ginny, whether or not she was interested in Malfoy.

"At least she can _kiss_, Malfoy." Draco looked icily at her.

"Oh? And who's saying I can't?" Ginny (who had, thankfully, regained a lot of her speech) interrupted. "I am, Malfoy."

He looked at her with something reminiscent to amusement on his face. "And you would know this because? It's not like we've actually snogged, Weasley." She narrowed her eyes. He was teasing her.

"Malfoy, leave her alone." The boys had by now noticed what was going on, and Harry had leaned over to talk. Draco sneered at him.

"Oh, are you jealous that someone else is talking to your girlfriend, Potter?" Harry turned a bright red, but Ginny was already there. She leaned over the booth, letting her chin rest in her hands.

"Listen, Malfoy, unless you can put your money where your mouth is, I suggest you shut up and sod off." Her voice was surprisingly calm, and Draco looked as though he was going to leave, but he suddenly reached into his pocket.

Ginny every faintly heard the sound of ten Galleons clinking against the table and the loud gasps from everyone around them, but by then, she was engaged in an otherwise time-consuming activity.

Draco didn't bother starting out sweet and slow this time. It was all passion, all instantaneous. Ginny felt the feeling rush back into her mouth with his tongue in tow. She only hesitated a moment before returning the move.

His hand went up unconsciously to stroke her cheek, and hers in turn went straight to the collar of his shirt. Vaguely she heard someone behind her saying it had to be ten minutes or else Draco would get his Galleons back, but all was lost as said boy nibbled at her lower lip and she moaned into his mouth.

Ron looked on in horror as his sister snogged Malfoy—and seemed to enjoying it! Harry was a little green around the gills, Colin was smirking inwardly, and Neville had been long pulled away by the blond girl.

Luna and Tessa were fighting giggles, while Hermione seemed caught between being sheepish and disgusted. Blaise was smiling, and Pansy looked like she was about to be going into a coma. Ginny was once more on top of the world—

And she decided that it was a very good feeling.

Sometime during the whole kiss, they had both started breathing through their noses, so as tongues darted in and out and the kiss deepened, never once did they lose air. They pulled apart only as both lost their footing when they tried to get closer to each other.

Draco ran his fingers through his hair. "Well."

Ginny, who was winded and still trying to remember who she was didn't say anything. Draco attempted a smirk, but it came up a bit grotesque, so he settled for a slight frown. "There's my money," he said, picking up a Galleon and biting on the edge gently. "And there's my mouth. I suppose this means I'm done, correct?"

And without waiting for anyone to speak, he sauntered away, Pansy crying sporadically as she followed him. Blaise punched the air in a little triumphant gesture before hurrying off after him.

"What in bloody hell was that about?" Ron demanded, looking at his sister irately. "It almost looked like you enjoyed that kiss! Why didn't you shove him away?"

Ginny, still somewhat dazed answered quickly. "Because he's a damn good kisser, that's why." She wondered faintly if Ron hit his head too hard when he passed out.

* * *


	15. Vive La France

Thanks to **Nickitjuh, america sucks move to europe, PP Ruffie, remembrances **(Not wrong, deliciously right) l**ouey31, AnitaBlakeBuffyFan, youngwriter56, TheScarlettSecret **(French was my first language, and my mom told me I have to practice it seeing as I speak way too much english now, so I guess if she asks I can tell her that yes, I was in fact doing some work with the French) **siriusandharryluvr, loonysango, blackfox360, joanne, My Dream's Shadow, Acontiae Malfoy, brown-sugar3, ****bsktballchick45, and lil-miss-me119.

* * *

**Eelie's back! Oh, joy, now I can start writing in earnest! (By the way, next to Nikki-chan, Eelie is like the best sort of beta thing I could ever have. When she's not here she lets me take care of her bunny, my muse, also named Eelie).

IssaLee: Say hi, Eelie.

**Eelie: (Sulks) I just got back from South America. It's hot like hellfire here, couldn't I just—oh, holy hell, how many fics did you start while I was gone?**

IssaLee: I was bored. Can we finish this chapter? I have others to work on and I want to go to the pool…

**Eelie: Fine…look at those reviews! There are some nice people out there…**

IssaLee: Too bad you aren't one. (Note: The author was temporarily waylaid after this conversation and had to wait until she got a splint for her finger until she could type again, which is why this comes out so late.) Days later:

**Eelie: Right…sorry about that, peoples, but it looks like I' typing most of this fic. She'll do some of it, seeing as she can't be a lazy arse all her life.**

IssaLee: I've got a broken finger!

**Eelie: Shove off. You went swimming with me and Nikki-chan today at the pool, your finger can't be that ill. Come on, you were doing cartwheels!**

IssaLee: (mumbles) shut up and start typing already.

Disclaimer:

This won't be mine, I know

Never with the deepest snow

Nor with the coming of the spring

As these characters belong to JK Rowling

* * *

**vive la france**

**issalee

* * *

**It was hours before Ginny finally got away from her brother and his friends, all of whom had been bugging her about various things. She had claimed sickness from the kiss and Ron, satisfied, had let her leave.

"Ginny?" Gwinn was suddenly sliding up her arm and on her shoulder. She was suddenly happy she had left the bracelet on the dresser as she changed. The redhead inclined her head to show she was listening as she climbed into the bed. Everyone had been assigned separate rooms (turns out Beauxbatons was huge and had underground rooms) and now as she turned the lights off she felt the calm hit her with startling force. There was always at least one girl sleeping in the same room as her.

"Ginny, that boy that kissed you—I'd like to learn more about him. Could I just skim your memories, please?" Ginny, tired beyond the point of caring, nodded wearily as she snuggled under the covers.

Gwinn clambered out of them and climbed on top of her chest. He closed his eyes and breathing deeply, plunged inside her mind.

It was several minutes (almost thirty) before he finally opened his eyes, and even then they were darkened. "Interesting," he said, and licked a claw absently. He felt a strange pit settling inside his stomach as though he'd done something wrong, but he settled down next to the already sleeping Ginny, let his tail wrap around his body, and fell asleep quickly, turning into ice as he did so.

_

* * *

She can still see the man's eyes._

_They were red, and she knows she shouldn't have been running towards him but all she can see is his eyes and she's wondering why they can't be green anymore—no, she wants them blue—no, silver blue, almost gray._

_He hisses something to her and although she's not supposed to understand she does and it tears at her very soul. "I know you're weak."_

_She can still hear the battle raging outside and Harry's voice and Ron's voice and Hermione's—they're shouting for her to come on, **come on** and get out. She knows she's not under a spell, but she doesn't move. There's something he's always wanted from her, and she wants to know what it is._

_The doors slam behind her and someone's banging against them but she doesn't even flinch. All she can see are his leering eyes _**(she's not even supposed to be here, so she can't complain)**_as he moves closer and his robes rustle just like they did before, in the Chamber, but now they sound more brittle, like they'll crumble any moment._

_The door is splintering and both of them know someone will come through at any moment. She suddenly realizes something _**(I'm a witch, damn it)**_ and she raises her wand. He flings it aside with a spell, and she realizes she's trembling as soon as he grips her hand, and jeers in her ear._

"_You'll always be haunted by me…"_

_And the door breaks open but he's already said the curse. He let go of her a long time ago but she's still gripping to his arm, and she brings up the replacement wand everyone has to carry these days and she knows he's too strong and she's too weak now and all she can feel is the pain coursing through her body._

_She stabs him in the eye._

_And suddenly her robes are soaked in crimson and she looks back and there they are—a redhead is kneeling next to her _**(My God, they're still alive?)** _and telling her everything will be ok and the one with the black hair is doing something yelling something but all she can see is the red on her robes and her wand._

_The redhead _**(Is that you, Charlie?)** _wraps something around her arm and she realizes that she was bleeding from there before. There's a brilliant noise and all this light and thennothingbutdarknessrushinginherears and then a loud thud. Harry's holding a box with magic radiating from it and he drops it and crushes it and then there's nothing else but the blood all over her body and someone's screaming her name but all she can see are his eyes, his red eyes—green eyes—blue eyes—gray eyes._

* * *

The ice dragon cracked, and as shook the crystals off him to he found Ginny trembling violently against him, with her face contorted. It was still dark, and he panicked. Feeling only slightly guilty, he ghosted the surface of her mind and almost reels back from shock. 

"Hold on," he whispered, and took off, through the open window. The air outside was cool against his scales, but he was determined to ignore it as he tried his best to sense for the people he's looking for. Gwinn sent a mental image to Aislinn, hoping she'll understand, before he found the window he was looking for and dove into it.

Draco awoke with a start; something was jumping up and down on is chest. Years of training caused him to reach out and grab the thing. As soon as his vision cleared, he recognized it as a dragon, albeit a very small one.

"What are you doing here?" he said, and sat up. Something suddenly flitted across his mind, and it was followed by more and more images. When they're done, he looks down uneasily at the creature in front of him.

"Gwinn?" he says uncertainly. The Creature nods coolly, tongue flicking in between his teeth.

"In the morning you'll not remember any of this. Just follow me; Ginny is in trouble." Draco needed only to hear those words before he was out of bed, never mind the fact that he was only wearing boxers.

Gwinn sat on his shoulder and dictated the way quickly. When they got there, Draco opened the door to find Aislinn perched on the headboard of the bed and blowing softly, so as to cool the sweating girl.

Draco was by the bed in an instant, and as he looked down at the girl, he realized he was actually exercising _self-control _at the moment, as the only thing he wanted to do was wrap her in his arms and kiss away her fears.

Was he getting soft? That sounded like a crappy love song…he could do better…

"Well?" Gwinn looked at him expectantly. "You have a connection with her—and shut up, I can tell you don't like it but that's too bad for you, seeing as I can't lose her and you sure as hellfire can't."

"And why is that?" Draco asked, more just to be a nuisance than actually wanting to find out. Aislinn suddenly flapped her wings, and he stumbled back. The white Creature bared her teeth at him.

"You stupid, stupid boy. And to think, we could teach you a lesson tonight but it wouldn't do much difference because you'd forget it all tomorrow anyway."

Draco glared at her as he moved forward again. "Excuse me? It's not me who pulled up one of her worst memories and has gotten her stuck in some kind of nightmarish memory loop!" Gwinn looked down at the ground, and Aislinn nudged him.

He looked up and pointed to the bed with a claw. "Just pretend I'm threatening you, ok? I'll freeze you to death if you don't climb into that bed and help her, so help me God." Draco rolled his eyes, but slid under the covers next to Ginny (if somewhat reluctantly) and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She whimpered and turned over so that she was facing him, placing her hands against his chest. Gwinn nodded approvingly. "We'll be going now. Don't worry, we'll be back to check, but it's best if we just leave you."

And the two were gone; flying so quickly Draco almost didn't realize they had flown out. Snorting lightly, he turned his attention to the redhead in his arms, whose breathing had steadied. He leaned his head down a little and buried it in her hair, inhaling her scent. What was it?

Mentally berating himself for turning into a Potter-wannabe (that almost scared him awake the whole night) and turning soft and gushy and starting to believe in fate, he fell asleep wondering what would happen if he and Ginny could love each other.

Would it be like this?

* * *

Ginny wrinkled her nose. Something was tickling it…it felt strangely like hair. 

"Hey—hey! Ginny, unless you want Malfoy to have his—er, wand be snapped in half—" A male's voice interrupted.

"That won't do anything, Tessa, you know she wouldn't mind."

"For Merlin's sake, Colin, if they've taken to sleeping with each other than I've very sure she's at the stage where she'd mind! Just go hide the camera so she can't crush it when she wakes up."

"What's this about cameras?" Ginny said groggily, blowing lightly to move the offending object next to her nose away. There was complete and total silence, until a new voice spoke.

"Weasley, I'll never speak a word of this if you don't. Just—move, but not to—!" Ginny had opened her eyes as soon as she recognized the voice and automatically moved over to the right.

"Colin! The camera!" Ginny opened her eyes just as a flashbulb went off in her face. She made a mental note to burn Colin's trunk later on, storing it for later reference as she had just realized she was lying on top of someone.

"You really need to learn to listen, you know." Draco said lazily, smirking up at her. She was about to stick her tongue out before she realized that it was a bad idea, as, doubtless, it would end up seeming as if she was trying to lick him.

Ginny sat up and slid off him. "What are you doing in my bed, Malfoy?" Draco opened his mouth to reply, then frowned. He was sure he had an answer somewhere in the back of his mind; in fact, he'd even_ known_ somehow that Ginny wouldn't have been mad had she heard this excuse, but for the life of him, he didn't know.

"Did either of us get drunk last night?"

Ginny let out a snort of derisive laughter. "Even pickled to the toes I don't think I'd end up in a situation like this with you, Malfoy. Now, out of my bed!"

Draco remained where he was. "Maybe I like it here."

Colin smiled brilliantly. "Oh, good, then if everything's settled I'd like you to know Ron is coming here with Harry to find Ginny, so we can all sit down and have tea together if you wish!"

Draco sat up and swung his legs over the bed, glaring at Colin. "You're an evil little prat, Creevey." Colin shrugged.

"When you hang out with these two, it happens." Draco rolled his eyes, not noticing Ginny's wand being looped in circles behind him, and stood.

Then promptly fell back again.

"I'VE GONE BLIND! I'LL NEVER SLEEP WITH A WEASLEY AGAIN!" He screamed. Ginny started laughing maniacally, and Colin joined in. Tessa sniffed.

"Honestly, Ginny, an eye-sticking spell? His pupils were only staring at the roof of his head, you could have waited till they were in the back." Ginny couldn't even reply, she was laughing so hard. Draco writhed on the bed until the spell's twenty-second time limit came into play.

With his vision renewed, the blond stood and blinked rapidly. "You should all die." He informed them, before brusquely walking out.

"So this is how humans enjoy themselves?" Gwinn alighted on Ginny's shoulder from his hiding spot on the windowsill. Aislinn swooped down from a corner where she had been hovering.

"It was different during our day," she commented. "It involved decking huge monsters and running as fast as you could." Tessa raised an eyebrow to Ginny as if saying 'I told you so'!

Ginny smiled disarmingly at her Creature. "Gwinny-Gwinn-Gwinn, how are you this fine morning? I have a feeling that you may be involved in this somehow…"

Gwinn flapped his wings and floated gently in front of Ginny. "It's not like I would tell you. You sure seem well rested, though. Did you sleep well?" Ginny didn't detect the note of nervousness in his voice.

"No, actually. I remember something—I think it had to do with the war, and then it's all gone." She grinned. "I spent the whole night dreaming about Snow Glows, or at least what they feel like."

Gwinn seemed satisfied with this answer. "Good, good. Now, what are you doing today?" he turned to Aislinn, who had been mimicking his every word and scowled. "Heathen dragon."

She bared her fangs and growled deep in her throat. "Narcissistic dragon!"

Ginny picked the both of them up by the scruffs of their necks. "I think you _both_ are acting like dragons," she said, picking up that it was supposed to be an insult to them. "So I suggest you stop bickering. And I'll be visiting a French village today, the equivalent of Hogsmeade."

She dropped them on the bed and, pretending not to notice the literal cold shoulder Gwinn gave Aislinn, and slipped of the bed. "I'm going to shower." Tessa's eyes flicked to the two Creatures, who were tussling wildly and in a way that they thought to be inconspicuous.

"It's only Saturday. How are you going to stand it?" Ginny sighed as she saw Gwinn send a crystal shard to the Air Creature, and Aislinn blow it back so that it struck him in the face.

"I think I may just lock them in a trunk and hope they suffocate." She said very loudly. Aislinn and Gwinn became very quiet after that.

* * *

Ginny stumbled down the stairs, still a little tired. The Beauxbatons dining hall was much more extravagant than the one at Hogwarts, sporting ice sculptures that looked almost like crystal (causing Gwinn to snort and mutter that he could do better inside of her head) which mean that Fleur's boasts during the Triwizard Tournament weren't all in vain. 

In fact, wood nymphs were indeed gathered in a corner of the room, flitting about as they discussed what they would sing. The dining hall itself was decorated in light hues of blue and white, and there were large round tables that could fit up to twenty people all over the room. Ginny dragged Tessa and Colin over to one where Ron and Co. was sitting.

"Where's Luna?" she inquired as she sat down next to Hermione. Ron scowled, obviously still not happy with her. Harry shrugged, although he didn't have to as at that moment, Luna appeared in the doorway, talking in fierce whispers to Cho Chang (who had come back to Hogwarts to teach Remedial Charms as real life training so it would look good on her resume).

Ginny, who was sitting closest to them when they stopped right before the table, heard most of the conversation.

"…How can you say that!" Luna was saying, her eyes blazing. "You rejected him horribly, all because you were too caught up in your own self to notice that he never once LOOKED at Hermione, and was situated on you most of the time! He asked you to the Yule Ball, for Merlin's sake!"

Cho blushed a little, but she still looked adamant. "He's just using you, Luna, I know he is! He never once paid attention to me, and was always caught up in his little ways! I bet he's just using you to get to that ugly little redhead—Ron's sister! There are rumors, you know—" But Ginny leapt up, apparently the only person who had heard the comment.

"Now, listen here, you snide little—" She blinked, then lowered her voice, ignoring the looks she was receiving from her table and Luna. "You are a selfish, conceited and egotistical brat, Chang!" She drew herself up to her full height, which still wasn't that much and stared Cho in the eye.

"Luna is a beautiful person to know, with an open heart. She always looks at the bright side and she's the one person I can count on to ALWAYS cheer me up when I'm happy." Ginny hadn't noticed that her voice had risen and all noise had stopped. People were now staring, and Luna was watching her with rapt attention.

"You were always to stuck in your only little world filled with drama to understand that some people have gone through worst tragedies than yours." Her head was rushing now, and she realized that she was letting out years of anger on the Asian girl, but she didn't stop.

"Did you hear what happened in my very first year at Hogwarts, Cho? Hmm? I don't suppose so, seeing as you were too busy slathering buckets of makeup on your face, but the thing is, I was possessed by Voldemort—oh, suck it up." She said, as Cho flinched (followed by several others).

"And what did I do? I didn't cry every single day about it, every minute, every hour! I didn't antagonize a boy to the very edge of reason! I didn't use him just to find out if someone HE HAD WATCHED DIE HAD MENTIONED YOU!"

Ginny jabbed a finger at Cho's chest, her eyes narrowed. "Did you ever once ask him how he felt about it, Cho? Did you ever once asked him how he felt about seeing Cedric die? Just like now. Did you ever ask him if he really likes Luna or if he was using her? Did you ever ask him if he wanted to meet Hermione for any other reason? Did you ever ask him if he liked me?"

Cho stuttered, her eyes flickering between Ginny and Harry, who had a stony expression on his face. "N—no."

"Exactly." Ginny said. "And that's your problem. You're being to selfish to realize—other people have lives, and maybe they don't want you in them." But Cho's demeanor suddenly changed. She straightened up and glared at Ginny, who didn't bat an eyelash.

"You're a pompous brat if anyone, Weasley," she said, sneering. "I heard the Sorting Hat wanted to put you into Slytherin, but you begged so much it felt sorry for you." She smiled maliciously. "I bet you it just felt sorry for the rags you were wearing. Even those were too good for you."

Ginny had suddenly lost color in all her face. Some part of what Cho had said was true—she had begged the Sorting Hat not to place her in Slytherin. Cho seemed to notice this and smiling triumphantly, turned to go. But Ginny caught her wrist, opening her mouth to say something, then—

CRACK!

The sound echoed throughout the hallway. Ginny's hand reflexively went up to the red handprint on her cheek, stinging painfully. There was suddenly a murderous gleam in Luna's eyes. She turned to face Cho, her normally light voice hard.

"You shouldn't have done that." No one was exactly sure what had happened at first, but as Cho crumpled to the ground, her nose bleeding and a little squashed, Kevin Whitby of Hufflepuff said it in an astonished cry.

"Lovegood punched her!"

Luna retracted her fist; wincing slightly and looking a little shocked herself. Ginny stared at her, and then there was a rustle of clothing. Harry was suddenly next to Luna. He took her hand in his own, and wrapped an arm around her waist. He dipped her backwards, and kissed her right there in the middle of the hall.

It was quite a long moment before they came up, both grinning, and a little disoriented as people started clapping loudly around them. Ginny grinned, even as she felt Ron fussing over her cheek as soon as his stunned expression had left.

Gwinn's voice echoed in her mind. _"Surely you capture these images somehow. They're like some sort of soap opera—I saw it in your memories. A Muggle thing, right?"_

"Right." Ginny whispered, beaming as Luna and Harry made their way to her. "Luna, that was brilliant!" The pale blond hugged her tightly, whispering in her ear.

"No, Ginny, you were brilliant. I can't tell you how much it means to me to have you as a friend." There were tears shining in her eyes, and Ginny shook her head.

"No, Luna, it's more important for me to have _you_ as a friend. And Harry—" She turned to the raven-haired boy, who was grinning lopsidedly. "Take good care of her, else you'll be living in a glitter free world." She threatened. Harry's eyes grew wide in horror, before he realized that Ginny was kidding, and he smiled nervously. Friends and such swept the couple away soon though.

Ginny felt something tug on her sleeve, and turned to see Draco looking at her in a way that almost stupefied her as she recognized it as worry.

"I came in just when she hit you." He said grimly. "She'll find it hard to live peacefully now." Ginny fluttered her eyelashes.

"Why, is Draco Malfoy telling me he's avenging me? I'm so flattered!" he scowled, but she laid a hand on his arm and smiled widely at him. Draco melted, but hid it under a gruff exterior.

"Yeah, well, she was wrong for hitting you when you weren't ready. I never liked her much anyway." Ginny winked.

"What, she came by for a quick one at the Shag And Go and you decided she wasn't all that great? I'd show you a thing or two," she said mischievously, enjoying the delicate red tinting Draco's cheeks.

"I've got to get back, else Pansy will wet herself." He seemed to be struggling between letting a glazed over look steal into his eyes and staying in reality. Ginny shrugged.

"Thanks for the concern. But Chang will get hers. Oh yes, she will." Her eyes were glittering. "I've been taught by the Terrible Twins—there's nothing I can't do." Draco said good-bye, but she waved him off absently, deep in plotting. Draco suddenly pitied Cho very much.

* * *


	16. The Real Reason Why Beauxbatons Is Bette

A MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR: I am writing this from where I am on vacation now, and I won't be able to update seeing as Word doesn't work here. I've sent this note to my friends and hope they pasted it on, else they will die horrible deaths. I'd just like to say to the reviewer called Racist, that I was not implying in any way that I was racist against Asians at all. Do you know how many times I've begged my mom if she can take me to Japan? I have billions of Oriental paraphernelia in my room, along with things from other countries. I myself have been a victim of racism at times, and I know it's not something you want to find a lot. I just wanted to make it clear, I was in no way using Cho's race against her. Had she been African-American, Caucasian, Hispanic or anything otherwise, it is her character and personality I am poking fun at, not anything else. Thanks for the heads-up, though.

**

* * *

Eelie: Hmm…hello all you peoples. Lee is having technical difficulties—**

_Nikki-chan: She's in Vegas, you fool._

**Eelie: Riiiggggghhhhhttt…anyways, Nikki and I will be helping with the updating. All review replies go in the next chapter. Lee has done some of this, but most of it is purely a result of our madness.**

_Nikki-chan: Your madness. I, on the other hand, am perfectly sane…look down there—I can see a duck in the pond. It's screaming._

**Eelie: As Nikki wanders off to check to the ducks, Lee told (read: made me swear lest I die a gruesome death) me to say this. THIS CHAPTER IS FOR SAM. And if you're her new bestest pally, I beg of you, don't accept any invitations to Banna Spilt Smundaes. It was the scariest experience of my entire life.**

_Nikki-chan: Back. And she says all reviews will be answered in the next chapter. Which she may be here to do, maybe not. But address all review replies to her. Or us._

**Eelie: Too bad we're published authors, eh? We could probably still be here…and now we have to share an account with a friend who holds Banna Spilt Smundae Parties.**

_Nikki-chan: (glomps Eelie on the head with a Harry Potter book) Shut up and start typing! We need to finish this so we can go outside and tan! I AM PALE LIKE THE SNOW!_

**Eelie: Right, well that's all we have to say. We're on with the fic now, and hopefully, you enjoy it so that Lee doesn't get mad at us and holds a Dieing A Groosum Dethh Party. Au revoir!**

_Nikki-chan: I'd say bye in German but I can't spell it, so Sayonara!_

Disclaimer: Oh, Jesu Christe, are we still doing this? Nein, I own nothing.

* * *

**the _real_ reason why beauxbatons is better than hogwarts  
**

**issalee

* * *

**Ginny kicked absently at a pebble as she, Tessa, Luna, Hermione and Gabrielle made their way down the rocky streets of Rie Monsieur, the French village they were visiting. All around them was a variety of shops, even more then in Hogsmeade.

Ginny smiled as Tessa drooled over a book in a store that seemed to be dedicated entirely to Defense Against the Dark Arts. The place was awesome, and lucky for Ginny, she had been given a total of one hundred Galleons to spend for the whole of the school year. (She was starting to wonder how she had EVER lived before her dad got promoted.)

"Tessa, move your arse away! We're going the other way!" Ginny dragged her friend, who seemed to be glued to the window away and continued down the road. Gabrielle looked over at Tessa, eyes shining in delight.

"_Tu aime a? C'est tres interesante._" She looked over to Ginny, Hermione and Luna and clarified. "You like this? Eet eez v. interesting. But I am taking you to ze Eiffel, a v. beautiful place. I 'ave enjoyed many a visit there."

"What do they sell?" Hermione asked, tearing her eyes away from a shop window filled with large, dusty texts. Gabrielle smiled.

"Everything! But today, we are going swimming, and eet was a last minute thing, so we 'ave to get you swimsuits."

"Swimming?" Luna said quietly. "I didn't see a pool…shall we swim in the air like the Dracknas?" Gabrielle seemed to have taken to Luna, and shook her head seriously.

"Luna, the Dracknas only comes out at night." Luna beamed, and the French girl continued. "We 'ave a certain way of traveling, like a portkey. Everyone eez to find swimming essentials, and zen we shall go to a nice beach in _la belle Italia_."

"Italy?" Hermione seemed dazzled. "Oh my." Ginny caught something in the corner of her eye, and ran ahead. She turned the corner quickly, and gasped.

What seemed to be a smaller version of the Eiffel Tower, but no less magnificent towered over them. Most of it was made of glass, but it shimmered with magic. An Unbreakable Spell, Ginny reasoned. Inside, she could see shelves upon shelves of clothes and shoes and bags and toys and books and—

"Impressive, eez eet not?" Gabrielle appeared at her side, face shining. "Zere are also restaurants in zere, and ze food is exquisite. But today, we shop for ze clothes! Five floors full!"

Ginny glanced over at Tessa and found her best friend to be blinking repeatedly. "Is it all a dream?" The dark-haired beauty asked. Hermione surprised them by walking briskly inside, calling over her shoulder, "If it is, I'd like to enjoy it before I wake up!"

Inside, Ginny waved hello to Ron, who hid something behind his back and blushed. Ginny sidled up to him.

"Something for Herm-own-ninny, Ronnie-kins?" He growled at her, but clutched whatever it was even further behind him. Laughing gaily, Ginny skipped off to the stairs, where those in her group had already started climbing.

* * *

Draco scowled. "Chang must die." 

Blaise rolled his eyes. "You've been saying that for ages, mate. Carina's gotten so tired of your moaning, she left to go find Creevey." His face contorted in disgust. "For God's sake, CREEVEY!"

Draco managed to smirk at that. "I think she was more tired of the fact that you kept telling her to go and get with some nice, sneaky Slytherin that will cheat on her so she can do the same."

Blaise blushed. "Er…I was trying to make it subtle…but she can't get with Creevey! I know I'm supposed to be a corrupted Slytherin who doesn't mind Gryffindors and Mudbloods and the like, but for Merlin's sake, not Creevey!"

Draco walked faster. "Yeah, well this means you've got him as a brother. The more you hate him, the more he'll cling. Come on, you're slowing me down."

"Where are we going anyway?" Blaise trotted to keep up.

"I heard from one of the Beauxbatons girls that we're going swimming, and that everyone's in town now to buy swimming things." The blond explained. "And there is no way I'm buying trunks at a second hand shop. We're going in there." He pointed to the huge building.

Blaise looked up, momentarily awed. Then a smile appeared on his face. "Hey, I can see Tessa and Ginny from down here!"

"Really?" Draco didn't bother looking. "Then let's go in, so you can speak to your girlfriend, and so I can find my clothes."

Blaise followed. "I wonder what they're doing?"

* * *

"No. Absobloodylutely not." Ginny crossed her arms and pushed away the article of clothing Hermione had showed her. 

"But Ginny, we're all in agreement! THIS is the suit for you!" The brown-haired girl said with an amused grin. Ginny shook her head.

"That's not a swimsuit! That's two pieces of tissue and not much else!"

"Here, then." Tessa dumped a pile of swimsuits in Ginny's arms. "Look at all of these two and pick the best. We'll do the same for each one of us. Don't come out until we call your stall number!"

Ginny looked over the clothes as she headed for the stall that served as the dressing room. "They're all green." She was trying to hide the fact that indeed, the one swimsuit she'd rather not wear was the one she preferred most.

"It looks good on you." Luna said, sifting through a pile of brooches. She picked up one that said, "Someone who loves me went to Pursell and only brought me back this stupid brooch and a Snoople." She wondered how they fit all the words on there.

Grumbling sourly, Ginny locked herself into the room. Tessa immediately handed Hermione a pile of brown suits. "Your color. Get in." Flustered, the older girl followed.

Grinning, Tessa and Gabrielle dragged Luna away from the brooches and stuffed her in a stall with several dark blue pieces, then settled down to watch.

"Hey." Tessa looked back to see Harry and Ron making their way towards them. Ron had a little bag with him, as did Harry.

"Who're you waiting for?" Ron asked curiously, taking a chair from the wall to sit down next to him. Harry followed suit. Tessa smiled.

"You'll see. Door Number…Three! Come out please!" The door on the far right opened, and Hermione stepped out, hair tied back. (She had, over the years, gotten the bushy factor down sufficiently, so that it stayed slicked back but went frizzy in the heat.)

Her suit was a light brown two-piece, normal save for the strings that seemed to be the only thing keeping the top portion together.

"I don't know…" she said. "It's ok, but the color is—" She stopped, aghast as she saw Ron and Harry, both of whom were hiding their eyes with their hands.

"Go on, 'Ermine-nee," Gabrielle said. "Eet eez simply your boyfriend and your best friend. I am sure zey 'ave no reason to tell anyone anything zey see 'ere today."

Hermione blushed and muttered something before rushing back in. A moment later she emerged, fully clothed. "I've picked, no thanks to you," she hissed. The two younger girls smiled back disarmingly.

"Door Number One!" Gabrielle called. "'Ave you picked your snazzy little number?" The lock clicked and Luna stepped out, in a one-piece, light blue in color. Harry's breath caught. There was a large split, like an oval in the middle, and connecting strands from the fabric formed a criss-crossing pattern across her navel.

Luna did not seem fazed to see Harry. Rather, she spun a little. "I like it. So light—this is the one I'm taking." Smiling dreamily, she walked (or rather, floated) back into the stall and changed quickly.

"Well, well. What do we have here?" A voice drawled, just as she came out of the stall. Luna blinked steadily.

"Hello, Draco." Harry and Ron jumped and turned, eyes narrowed. Blaise was absent (Draco had left him to find something for Tessa, mumbling sourly). Draco ignored them and walked over to the swim trunks. He looked up for a moment, eyes glittering with mischief.

"Hello, Luna. I saw your show this morning. Very well put." Everyone looked back and forth between the two, seemingly surprised that they could get along, even if for a moment. Luna blushed slightly.

"You're awful, Draco." Harry suddenly seemed to realize that this was his girlfriend, and made a threatening gesture to Draco, who shrugged.

"Calm down, Potter. I've known Loony here since she was six. Who d'you think gave her the nickname? Too bad all of Hogwarts decided I was making a joke of her and took it that way."

Harry, shocked, didn't say anything. But Luna slipped forward and linked arms with him, shaking her head in amusement. "Boys are like Morgles. They fight for their mates, even after it's obvious who's won."

Tessa rolled her eyes, and turned back to the doors. "Last person! Step out, chop-chop!" A small, barely discernable voice came out.

"I am not."

"Ginny?" Ron raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?" There was a groan, followed by a rustle of fabric.

"Now he's here! I'm not coming out, Tessa. I was right! This is just tissue!" Sighing and acting very much like a drama queen, Tessa pulled out her wand.

"_Alohomora_," she whispered. The lock clicked, and it was followed by a shriek. "DON'T DO THAT!" Gabrielle, catching on, took her own slim wand from her pocket and muttered an enhancement of the summoning spell.

"ARGH! LET GO OF ME!" Ginny's voice could be heard very clearly, as was the sound of her scrabbling at the walls. The door flew open suddenly, and a blur flew towards them. Gabrielle, in panic, flicked her wand, causing Ginny to swerve sharply. With a scream, Ginny turned sharply to the right and crashed into the closest person.

Blowing hair out of her eyes, Ginny looked down into the cool gray eyes. "Hi. Whatcha doin'?" Draco growled at her.

"Get off me, Weasley." She shook her head, and leaning down so that her mouth was right next to his ear (which sent shivers all down his spine) blew softly. Draco had to concentrate _very_ hard to stop his eyes crossing.

"I have absolutely _no_ intention of getting off you until you give me something worth it." She smiled wickedly, and Draco (in what he decided later was a moment of incredible stupidity) brought a hand up and pulled her head down.

Their lips crashed together with startling force, and Ginny struggled not to lose her head (or her virginity) as Draco's tongue teased past her lips. Just as she lost all hope of ever getting her lips back again—although she didn't mind as much as she probably should—footsteps could be heard. Draco pushed her off, quickly, and she cast a simple spell over her face and his to take away from the Damn-I've-Been-Snogged-Thoroughly look.

Harry peered over the racks. "Gin, are you ok?" She brought up a finger and waved it at him, slightly intoxicated from the kiss. "Um—er—hold up a second, Harry." She scrambled under a clothing rack and took deep, calming breaths. She then proceeded to give Harry a thumbs-up sign and rush away.

Harry stared for a moment, before looking back down at Draco, who had a somewhat dreamy look on his face as he stared at the spot Ginny had just vacated. Smirking slightly, Harry leaned over the racks.

"She had better not be just another piece of arse to you, Malfoy."

"But she's a nice piece of arse…"

Snorting lightly, Harry turned around and walked away. What a long, long school year this would be.

* * *

"Ah…Tessa? How come we drive on parkways and park on driveways?" 

The dark-haired girl blinked, and turned to her friend. "Where the hell did that come from? And what is a parkway?"

Ginny sighed. "Never mind." She turned instead, to Hermione, Ron and Harry. "If a person with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, does that count as a hostage situation?"

"Er…"

"What?"

"…We don't have to answer, do we?"

Ginny had to stifle a laugh at their faces. "Sorry, but I was just thinking." They were walking to the point where they would take some sort of transportation to get to Italy. Ginny had been bored for the better part of the walk, and had decided to ask people random questions and such.

She skipped ahead to Lavender Brown and Parvati and Padma Patil. "Hi. If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?" They gave her unreadable looks, and shrugging, she walked over to Susan Bones.

"Hi, Susan. Tell me, if a deaf person swears, does his mother wash his hands with soap?" Susan smiled a little but edged away, looking about nervously. Ginny gave her a dazzling smile and moved over to Neville, who had the Beauxbatons girl clinging to his arm.

"Neville, if you spin an Oriental man three times in a circle, does he become disoriented?" The Gryffindor looked alarmed.

"Er…I really don't know. Is this a test? Professor Snape isn't around here, is he?"

Ginny rolled her eyes and skipped away. She spotted Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas walking at the front of the line, and hurried to catch up with them.

"Oi! Seamus!" The Irish boy turned and offered her a wink. "Seamus, if a cow laughed, would milk come out of her nose?" Dean seemed baffled, but Seamus smiled.

"Of course! Here, Ginny, you know the drink 7-Up? Well, what happened to the first six 'ups'?" Ginny grinned back.

"Why, they couldn't stand the pressure of course. They were put into the freezer and got cold feet at the last second. If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?"

Seamus shivered. "Disturbing…ah, here's one. Why are they called buildings if they're already done? What should they be called?"

"Builts." Ginny answered promptly. "If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?"

"Cookies shaped to look like humans, of course." Seamus said impishly. By now, almost everyone had stopped walking to listen to their banter. Ginny thought for a moment, then grinned.

"Since light travels faster than sound, isn't that why some people appear bright until you hear them speak?" The Irish boy pulled a hurt look.

"Takes one to know one, Gin. Who's idea was it to put an 's' in the word lisp?"

"Mine. I just decided I could be that mean." Ginny started walking again, as did Seamus and the crowd. She thought for a moment, then said, "If quitters never win and winners never quit, what fool came up with 'Quit while you're ahead'?"

"Ah, I believe that could have been our dear Ronnie-kins." Seamus dodged Ron's hand, which had come up to hit him from behind. "But here, Gin, if it's true that we're here to help others, than what are the others here for?"

Ginny hesitated. Somehow, everyone seemed to sense that she was at a loss, and everyone was suddenly watching her. Draco, who had been following the whole thing with great interest, caught her eye and offered a smirk. Ginny's eyes widened, and she looked back to Seamus.

"To shag, of course." He blinked, and then started laughing, followed closely by several other people.

"Oh—Gin, you got me there. I concede defeat. But if I am to lose for real, you must offer up another one of these pretty things. Got anything?"

Ginny nodded. "Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?" She winked at Draco as everyone started laughing, and started up walking again. She really had to do this more often…

"'Ere we are!" The blond, longhaired and lithe-bodied professor they had been following stopped suddenly by a willow tree. "Zis eez our transportation spot. Everyone, line up in partners of two and go through!"

The Beauxbatons students went first, vanishing through the tree as the Hogwarts students would through Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The first Hogwarts students were, predictably Harry and Luna. When it came time to be her turn, Ginny hesitated a moment, before she and Tessa stepped through.

There was a rush of air and a pounding noise in her ears. She and Tessa clung to each other, until they were rudely spit out on the other side and tumbled into the grass. They extricated their limbs from each other just as Ron and Hermione came through.

When Ginny stood up, she was momentarily waylaid by the scenery. A beautiful, clear blue sky and beaming sun was above them. Behind them was a small town, with people going back and forth in wizarding robes.

The sand at her feet was a beautiful pale white, and seemed to glitter in the sun. The water just ahead was blue-green, and the waves lapped gently against the shore, which was almost empty even though it was unbearably hot. Ginny smiled and slipped out of her sandals, grabbing Tessa's hand as she did so.

"We shall sing Rock Lobster and TAN!" she said. Tessa shook her head, looking fearful. "Are you mad? Rock Lobster is an awful song! We must sing Bohemian Rhapsody!"

Shaking her head, Ginny plunked down on a random spot on the beach, dragging her friend down with her. She could see couples and friends doing the same around her. "Shall we tan first, or swim?"

Something smacked her in her head, and she ripped it off. It was the t-shirt Tessa had been wearing, and it revealed the crimson two-piece bikini she was wearing underneath. The dark-haired girl tied her locks in a ponytail with a rubber band. "We shall swim, of course!"

Reluctantly, Ginny removed her t-shirt, but left her shorts on. Tessa grinned. "I see you decided to go with the tissue paper after all."

The suit was a two-piece, but the top and bottom seemed to be made of silk and was a forest green color. The top had no straps, it just wrapped around Ginny's—bosom and ended in a long ribbon in the back. (**A/N: As you can see, Lee is obsessed with ribbons. It isn't healthy, really.**) The bottoms were shorts, but made of the same material.

Ginny sighed. "I'm not going in, then. This fabric looks so delicate, I'm sure when I step in the water it'll become soggy and rip apart!" She slipped an overlarge pair of sunglasses on her face and conjured up a towel underneath her, then lay down. "I think I'm tanning."

Tessa put her hands on her hips, smirking maliciously. "Do so before me, and I may be forced to paste those pictures of you at the New Year's Party last year." Ginny shot up like a rocket.

"You wouldn't."

"I so would."

"Argh," Ginny grumbled as she got up. "I don't know why we're friends, I swear!" As Tessa led her to the water, she smiled sweetly. "It's because someone had to be crazier than you, and the best they could do was me. Now, get in!"

Ginny stumbled towards the water and poked at the surface with a toe, then withdrew it quickly. "That's freezing! I'm not going in there!" Apparently, no one shared her sentiments, as students were plowing into the water with absolute disregard for her plight.

As she glared at them, someone tapped Ginny on her shoulder. She turned, and found a boy with curly black hair smiling at her. He was stunning, to say the least, and he held out a rose to her.

"For the _bella principessa_," He said. "She who is without a flaw." Shocked, Ginny took the flower and mumbled a thank-you. Tessa nudged her from behind, grinning like mad.

"_I don't like him. He seems too self-assured."_

Ginny snorted mentally at Gwinn's comment. 'Like Malfoy isn't, and you approved of him.' The boy suddenly dropped to his knees and clasped his hands with her own.

"_Bella_, will you give me the honor of being my girlfriend?" Tessa gasped audibly, and Ginny suddenly felt quite frozen. The boy was cute, sure enough, but she didn't even know him! He could be a mass murderer, for Merlin's sake. But if he wasn't, she wasn't about to break his heart and turn him into one. Ginny was just losing all hope of ever getting her hand back when a voice interrupted.

"Sorry, but she's _my_ girlfriend."

* * *

**Eelie: Oh, come on. She made the ending so predictable.**

_Nikki-chan: Don't be so self-assured. I made her promise me that the at the end of this chappie, Draco would SOOOO not come to rescue her. I wanted Ginny/Blaise. Hmph._

**Eelie: You want everything you know you can't get! So shh...we've got to leave this chappie and hope for the best...if we screwed up, Lee'll be mad, and I don't wanna die an early death...so send her reviews, people! REVIEWS KEEP ME ALIVE!**

_Nikki-chan: (Hums to herself as she secures spot in Africa for around the same time Lee comes back)_


	17. Here, Thar Be Furbies

IssaLee: I AM ALIVE! But anyways, I must just say, I've had a REVELATION! Remember how I told you all Eelie has a pet bunny rabbit who stays at my house when she's gone? Well, it's real name isn't Eelie, but that's what I call it. Eelie named it Sirius Lee Black, and only a week or so ago, I was sitting in the plane and I went WOOT! Because I get it now! Sirius Lee Black, seriously black! And the funny thing is, Nikki's got a rabbit that she called Remus Lapin (french for rabbit) and Remus turned out to be a girl, which we only found out because of all the little Lapin-Black babies running around. 

**Eelie: (Edges away from the computer) Nikki…Nikki, you push her off the chair and I go for the car…**

_Nikki-chan: You don't have your driver's license, you gormless oik._

**Eelie: How hard can it be to drive? I'll wing it, dammit.**

………………………………………………………………………………………………

IssaLee: Right. Now that Eelie's literally knocked some sense into me

**Eelie: It was a seizure! I swear, if I wasn't laughing too hard I'd explain it to you!**

_Nikki-chan: I find it hard to believe that you would have a seizure and smack her to the floor, incidentally pouring all your soda on her. You're gonna die._

**Eelie: At least she's not crying…**

IssaLee: I have the feeling no one really cares about these Author's notes, so on with the ficcie. I have business to attend to, meanwhile. (Drags Eelie away by the ear and hunts for Nordic axe.) And the Italian Boy was NOT a desperate ploy. Gwinni-Gwinn-Gwinn decided to step in, is all.

* * *

Bonzai to ** A Lonely Heart Breaker **(A beta's someone who checks over the fics a person writes, and corrects any errors. A Mary-Sue is an original character that the author made up his/herself. And the teachers are back at the school, because I was too lazy to write them in, sorry. You know, I almost never remember any of my dreams!) **Yochy, heartdamoose **(Yeah, Ginny and Tessa are actually based off me and my friends. Some of these things we've done (Like sticking itching powder in someone's underwear, the usual) and the swimsuits are yeah, my own design! My auntie makes 'em, I tell her what I want. For you, I shall put a moose in a chappie!) **stevania felton, GlassBroomsticks, Kaitikins, Askura, youngwriter56, Nickitjuh **(_Thank you so much! _**Yes, Touche, my friend, we are messed up** Ah, see you've blown up their egos! Good for you, but now I have to deflate them :grabs pin: Meh.) **HyperSquishy, joanne, I-Confuse-Everyone, Justanotherharmlessprankster** (nice to know!) **lil-miss-me, america sucks move to europe** (Ah, damnit. I didn't make it in time, I only just got these e-mails around the tenth, so muchos muchos apologies. Here's a few Good Reviewer stickers to tide you over :hands them out:) **Liane, louey31** (Sadly, she is no one's but I hope to change that)** siriusandharryluvr** (ah, see I'm fluent in several languages, and bella is Italian for beautiful or beautiful woman)** iheartfredandgeorge83, blackfox360, Aly'sPenName, xxasihiteru **(I was hoping you hadn't heard these before, else I'd publicly deface Google) **ronslilprincess **(Ooh! I wish I had that one when I was typing the chapter!) **GW** (Ah, sorry to dissapoint if you thought it was Draco. Can't have the fic being too predictable, yo u know.) **Droplets of Dew** (Don't take this the wrong way, but I'm not telling you. I can be whoever I want when I'm on the PC, and that's the beauty of it. For example, as I write the next chapter, I am the Japanese team's Seeker, cuz she's awesome like that. Never missed a catch when I played with her!) **Numbly Breaking **(I get what you mean, try Pyro Symptoms Unleashed, she's given me the same reaction, I mean DUDE! And I'm happy to see I've brightened your day! Bonzai!) jip91, **My-Chemical-Romance-Fan** (Will do. :Smack: ) **ArcherofDarknessAndCallie** (Mein dear, had I known it was on your bio, I would have never taken it! And my friends can't run away, I have them on leashes (and my parents are holding onto their passports while they're here) So nyet! And you know something, I''m going to make them play harder, just for you!)**XxWillickxX, loonysango, and GoldenFawkes.**  


**

* * *

here, thar be furbies**

**issalee

* * *

**Ginny decided that someday, she was going to take a poll and fond out when she ha changed enough to be noticed by so many guys. Heck, a few years ago no one would have even known she was anything but a Weasley. Now the world suddenly knew she was a girl.

But the curly-haired, wide-eyed Italian boy, she couldn't blame. His eyes flicked back to the boy who had said those few words.

"_Sorry. But she's _my_ girlfriend."_

Ginny's did also, and she was suddenly speechless as the Italian boy held up his hands and stood. "Ah, sorry. She's a _belladonna _for sure, you've got to keep an eye on her!" And he wandered away from them, kicking up sand as he went. Ginny didn't notice him suddenly snap his head back. His eyes grew wide, and he sprinted off down the beach.

This left Ginny and Tessa to stare, open-mouthed, at a boy they had never seen before. (A/N: Hey, it was either this or Draco, and it can't be too predictable!) He had tousled hair that was an unnatural shade of black, so that it almost looked blue. He was wearing only a pair of light blue swim trunks.

But what drew Ginny towards him were his eyes. They were dark, and onyx-colored. A sudden thought hit her, and she squinted hard. "Gwinn?"

The boy smiled sheepishly. "Hey, Gin." He took her arm and Tessa's, leading them away from the water and back towards the willow. Neither protested, stunned as they were.

Ginny soon regained her sense, however, and quickly took her arm back. "Gwinn, what were you playing at? You never told me you could do—this, whatever it is!"

The Elemental shrugged. "That's because I didn't know I could. Godric and Helga just took mine and Gwendolyn's information, and plowed ahead in their relationship. You're much tougher. I was just—steaming a little and wishing I could do something when it happened."

Tessa giggled suddenly. "Oh—Aislinn said a few choice things about you," she explained. "But she wants to know if she can do it too." The white Elemental appeared on her own shoulder. Tessa took her and cradled her in her arms, like a babe.

Gwinn scowled. "I suppose, but it's hard to keep this form for more than a few minutes, so she'd better use it wisely." He tweaked Ginny's nose before shrinking rapidly. His neck elongated, and he grew his customary wings and fangs.

Gwinn fluttered up to Ginny's shoulder and nipped her ear. "I rather like being an Elemental, it means more fun for me. By the way, that boy wasn't a waizard."

"How would you know?" Ginny asked suspiciously. Gwinn grinned, revealing his sharp fangs. "Oh, but madame, I have many tricks up my--er, what, sleeve? I bet you your little boyfriend comes along in a moment or two."

"Yeah right." Ginny said. Gwinn shrugged, slapping her in the face with his wings at the same time. "Suit yourself. You know it'll happen."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Weasley, is that stuffed animal talking?"

Faster than she thought possible, Ginny grabbed the now smirking Gwinn from her shoulder, stuffed him in the crook of her arm and turned to face Draco with a brilliant smile. "Of course not! I'm just—practicing my ventriloquism!"

Draco stared, as did Blaise, who was standing a little off to the side. Ginny's outfit was certainly—a inimitable choice of suit. She was still wearing the denim shorts over the bottom, but this if anything accentuated her looks. Blaise, in the meantime, was studying his girlfriend's legs with the look of starved man.

Ginny almost smirked. She waved a hand in front of the blonde's face. "Yoo-hoo, anyone in there, Malfoy?" He blinked, before resuming his arrogant posture. In this stance Ginny was forced to mentally admit that he looked very handsome indeed.

"_Aislinn tells me to add that he has a six-pack too."_

"A six pack?" Ginny said incredulously before blushing, but it was too late. Draco smirked. "Admiring the goods, Weasley?"

She stuck her chin up in the air. "As you were doing before, Malfoy. It's only fair." Neither of them noticed their best friends rolling their eyes and walking off, hand in hand.

Draco snorted. "Please, Weasley. Blaise and I merely noticed you two were in the presence of two boys, one of which walked off looking quite sad. Blaise was, of course, concerned about his girlfriend's well-being."

"Jealous, Malfoy?" Ginny said snidely,

He colored a little. "Of course not! I was just being a good friend—something you've probably never heard of!"

"Says the boy who has to Imperio people into being his friends!"

"I do not!"

"Do too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

"Not!"

"Too!"

Draco rolled his eyes. "This is just getting ridiculous. Let's agree to disagree, so we can finish this argument." He looked around, and his eyes narrowed. "And so we can go find our traitorous friends."

He turned around, and Ginny opened her mouth to let out a clever retort when at that moment, Gwinn spoke up in a voice that sounded surprisingly feminine. "Ouch! Nice butt, hon."

The two people froze. Ginny's mouth malfunctioned, opening and closing like a fish. Draco turned, ever so slowly, and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"What did you say, Weasley?"

Ginny's elbow tightened around Gwinn's neck as she smiled meekly. "Er, nice butt hon?" Draco growled, before whirling around once more. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief and loosened her grip. This turned out to be a big mistake, as Gwinn wriggled free and cried:

"Back that behind up, it is _fine_!" Gwinn waved a tiny goodbye to Ginny before turning back into the bracelet and wrapping himself around her wrist. Ginny took a moment to register Draco turning back before she ran like the fury.

* * *

Blaise's hand tightened around Tessa's as they walked down the beach towards the water. "Erm—Tessa?" She smiled up at him. 

"Yeah?"

He was obviously flustered by his next question. "Those two boys you were with earlier—Draco and I saw them and—you have those stuffed animals now—and—"

Tessa had to stop herself giggling, not only from his stuttering but because Aislinn kept saying something about how she needed a big, strong man, like a giant or something. She kept seeing Hagrid in her mind's eye.

"Blaise, the boy that walked away asked Ginny out, but she declined. And the other boys is—" she hesitated, but then plunged forward in her explanation. "A friend of hers. Don't worry, I know you're mine."

Blaise grinned impishly. "What? I'm yours? Seeing as that's probably the closest I'll ever get to you saying you love me, I'll take it." Tessa opened her mouth to reply, but a noise caught her ears.

"Do you hear—" something grabbed her arm and she was forced to move her feet to keep herself from falling. Tessa looked up at Ginny's face and shook her head.

"What have you done now!" she yelled. Ginny's eyes were blazing.

"It was the stupid Elemental did it! I wasn't saying anything, but Gwinn kept saying stuff about Malfoy's arse in a female's voice and Malfoy—" She didn't have to explain any further as Tessa burst out laughing. The two stumbled and collapsed, coincidentally, right next to their things.

"What stuff did Gwinn say?" Tessa asked, wiping tears from her eyes. Ginny mumbled that Elemental's words, ignoring her friend as she shimmied out of the shorts. She was going to tie a towel around herself, change, and get the hell out of there. (The bottom, by the way, also looked like shorts, in the same color and with the same fabric as the top). She was interrupted from her ranting when she heard a loud male voice cursing explicitly.

Tessa noticed the blonde Slytherin first, and the anger radiating from him. She turned to her friend in a panic. "Run for the beach! He'll never head there, he has hair gel to think of!"

Ginny didn't waste any time. In a moment, she was sprinting down the beach, kicking sand up behind her. Gabrielle Delacoeur attempted to wave her down, holding what seemed to be tickets, but Ginny had her life to think of! She cursed her long, waist length hair, which she was still getting used to as she ran closer and closer to the water.

Ron was standing by the water. In her haste, she pushed him in. He in turn, grabbed Hermione round the waist. In an attempt to save himself, maybe, but the fact of life was that they ended up snogging each other as they came up for air.

Ginny almost stopped until she saw Draco hesitating, then plunging into the water. She let out a moan and dove under.

"_Ah, water. This I could live with. Poor Gwen would throw a fit, though."_

Ginny held her breath as long as she could before popping up. Gray eyes looked down at her own ocher ones, and she decided now would have been a very good time for her to have had her wand.

Draco glared down at her, his sopping wet curls plastered against his face. Actually…without meaning to, Ginny raised a hand to finger one of the pale strands. Draco, in his shock, did nothing. Slowly, ever so slowly, Ginny tilted her face to meet his. And slowly, ever so slowly, she said,

"You have seaweed on your nose."

Draco blinked in a confuse fashion for the second time that day before he sighed and put a hand up to his temple. Ginny was certainly shocked at this change in disposition, and took his hand from his face. "What? What's up?"

Draco rolled his eyes, but he couldn't keep a smile off of his face. He grabbed Ginny around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and she let out a little gasp before he waded out to a precipice in the water. (You know, like it's shallow and then all of a sudden really, really deep?)

Ginny closed her eyes as she felt the water rushing over her head, and attempted to hold her breath. Was he going to drown her? She opened her eyes again, just as he waved his hand over her face and his. Suddenly, fresh air rushed through her mouth and nose. She peered at Draco, and noticed that his features were wide now, and had broadened. She laughed, and he scowled.

"Calm down, Weasley. A simple Bubblehead charm. Didn't you see it at the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" Ginny nodded, and reined in her chuckles.

"How did you do it without a wand?" She had to speak up a little, but her words were still deafened. "Isn't that really hard to do? I heard some guy botched it up in Cape Cod, in America when he was on vacation and he came back with a bloated head." She was babbling now, she realized, but it might have had something to do with the fact that Draco was still holding her round the waist.

He smirked. "Practice, Weasley, practice. Wandless magic can be honed. Besides, wands are merely conductors for the magic inside all of us. It won't be able to last as long as it would if I had a wand, and I won't be able to cast another one for quite a while. Haven't you been listening in Charms?" She stuck her tongue out at him, and he laughed before releasing his hold on her and taking her hand.

"Come on. We've got things to see." For the first time, Ginny looked around her, and gasped. The water was beautiful, and a clear blue-green. Fishes of every size and color swam by them. One that seemed particularly brave rammed itself against the side of her helmet, before swimming dazedly off. Draco chuckled at that.

They swam farther out to sea, exclaiming over the oceanic life they found. A small school of fishes that looked like furry Furby's swam by them. Draco plucked one up and fondled it gently. "Must be some illegal cross-breeding done here. Rather cute, actually."

At that exact moment, the Furby-Fish opened its mouth, exposing large, pointy teeth, and attempted to eat Draco's hand. Ginny was indecisive about whether she should stare and laugh or help for a while, before the Fish-Of-Doom caught sight of her and tried to wrestle its body out of Draco's grip. Then she took a rock and clocked it over the head.

"Did I kill it?" She asked, mortified as the fish floated gently upwards. Draco shook his head. "It looks stunned, but it'll be alright in a moment, I bet." As they swam off Ginny saw it shake itself, flip over and swim away.

"Maybe we should put that into Harry's bath." Mused Ginny. "Too bad for Luna if she wanted kids, though." She was surprised when Draco snorted in laughter. They floated about for a few more minutes, exclaiming over species' they had had never seen before and generally having fun before Draco stopped suddenly.

"Oh, crap. The charm only lasts an hour." He looked at her helplessly, and she started to question him before she felt something strangely like a plunger pulling at her head. She looked up. They were quite a ways from the surface, and the charm was coming off pretty quickly. She had no more time to think, before Draco had her around the waist again, and both of them starting kicking frantically.

With a small, barely audible _pop!_ Ginny's Bubblehead disappeared. She wasn't expecting this, and thus sucked in quite a lot of water before Gwinn uttered a chiefly vehement oath in her head and told her to, _"Stop flapping your mouth, you are NOT a fish you freaking idiot!"_ Ginny made a dazed mental note to hit him later.

Draco apparently hadn't noticed; his eyes were still fixed on the surface. Ginny felt herself getting more lethargic, and in a moment of pure panic (and stupidity) she started to beat as his chest and move away from him. Draco looked down just as his Bubblehead wore off, and immediately his eyes widened in horror.

Ginny couldn't feel much by this time, and gradually, her grip on him loosened. In a moment, though, air was being forced into her lungs, along with just the littlest bit of water. In a moment, though, she was breaking real air, and Draco removed his lips from hers. He treaded water for a while, his forehead resting on hers, before sighing.

"Ginny, you do that to me again and I may just kill you myself." She spit out a little bit of water, and after making sure she was still going to breath, Draco started pulling her to the precipice.

"You called me Ginny." She said, after a moment's deliberation. Draco looked back at her, something like fear flashing in his eyes before his gaze returned to ahead of them. "Yeah, so?"

She smiled, lacing her fingers with his as she propelled her legs to push them forward. He stiffened for a moment, before she squeezed his hand. "That's twice, you know, that you've basically saved me."

He smirked. "Maybe I should just tape you to me; save me a lot of trouble, you know?" She tilted her head so that it was entirely too close to his, and his breath hitched.

"Maybe I'd like that." And then they were on the crag, and she was standing up. Draco stood up with her, and as she attempted to ring out her soggy hair, his eyes passed over her in what was surely admiration.

"You've got spunk. I'll give you that, but that's about it." She stuck out her lower lip and pouted, but he shook his head. "Stop thinking you're the Queen of Everything, Weasley. It's not happening."

But suddenly he was on his back, staring up into those tawny eyes that were now flecked with gold, as though they had been tainted by his wealth. She was smirking, his Malfoy smirk, and he wasn't exactly happy about that. But he forgave her when she lowered her head to his, licking her lips in a delightfully devilish way.

"Now, if you won't give me anything, how about I do the pleasures?" He didn't even get to speak before she had covered his mouth with hers. She started out slowly, but he quickly caught on that she was teasing him and decided to turn the tables on her.

He reached up, tangling his hands in her fiery hair as he pressed her lips down harder, with crushing force. She gasped, giving him an entrance into her mouth. He couldn't think of anything, and for once in his life it wasn't _gimmegimmegimme_ but _takemetakemetakme_.

Ginny's hands in his hair, Ginny's mouth against his, Ginny's breathe mingling with his, Ginny's hair against his own hands, Ginny, Ginny, and Ginny. It was all about Ginny, now.

Draco's hands in her hair, Draco's mouth against hers, Draco's breathe mingling with hers, Draco's hair against her own slim hands, Draco, Draco and Draco. It was all about Draco, now.

Draco flipped suddenly, so that it was he now, lying on top of her, but he spread his weight evenly so as not to crush her. He trailed kisses up and down her neck, around her jaw, her ears, her delicate, perfect fingers, before she was grasping his face in both hands and making sure his lips gave hers a fair turn.

It was amidst this that a small, tiny crab scuttled towards the two, clacking its pincers fearfully. These two monsters had destroyed its tiny little crabby village, and it wanted revenge! With deadly silence (It's underwater, it's not going to make a thumping noise) it scurried to the two.

Draco ended up biting his tongue (and Ginny's, almost) when the crab got to him. With a small, un-Malfoy-ish yelp, he jumped up and clutched at his foot, which the crab was hanging off of. Ginny took a moment to remember where, who, and what she was before absorbing the full hilariousity of the situation and laughing.

Draco glared at her, all previous romantic feelings forgotten for the moment. "That's not funny, Weasley, this HURTS!" Still grinning insanely, Ginny crawled over, dragged him down and plucked the crab from his foot, and settled it in the water.

"Cute thing," she cogitated, and looked up to the steely gray eyes. Before the full awkwardness of the situation could set in, however, Gabrielle came splashing towards them, Christophe in tow. She was still clutching the tickets, but inside of a waterproof clear case.

"Ginny! I 'ave been looking for you everywhere! Tessa said you were busy, and she was acting v. secretive!" The redhead smiled.

"What've you got for me, Gabrielle?" The Beauxbatons student kneeled next to her, showing her the tickets with great joy.

"Madame Maxine 'as decided that you of 'Ogwarts are allowed to watch a match in the World Cup league, France versus Japan! Our courtyard doubles as the stadium, so we usually see most of the games!"

Ginny's eyes shone with delight. "Excellent! I take it that it's tomorrow?" Gabrielle nodded tomorrow, but her boyfriend clarified.

"Tomorrow at exactly two. You can sit on the side that supports Japan, or the one that supports France. Which side will you two be supporting?"

"Japan."

Ginny and Draco glanced at each other in surprise, but Gabrielle didn't seem to notice. "Ah, zat eez ok! Tessa, Luna, Hermione, Blaise and 'is sister seem to be the only others rooting for Japan, though, so I fear you will not be so lucky."

"Are you kidding?" Ginny straightened up. "Japan's the quickest team around, and their Chasers are crazy! They've got a new Seeker, granted, but I heard she's awesome! Their keeper almost never misses a goal, and their Beaters have never missed the Bludger yet! Japan is sure to win."

"Besides, they beat Australia 360 to nil." Draco put in. "They did the same to Bulgaria, 180 to 10, and England lost 450-120. France lost their first match against them, didn't they? It was a horrible defeat, 670 to 20."

Gabrielle looked put out. "Yes, but we 'ave been training, so we are sure to beat zem zis time! Besides," she added sourly. "Zey are in zair 'ome stadium, zey cannot lose."

"We'll see about that." Ginny smiled good-naturedly. "Come on, let's go back to the beach!" she addressed Draco, who looked at her with mild astonishment, before taking her outstretched hand and pulling himself up with her.

"_Normally, when you say you don't like a guy, you don't end up lying on top of him while he snogs you senseless. And enjoying every minute of it, too."_

Ginny rapped the bracelet sharply with her knuckles and gave Gwinn a mental retort. 'He was lying on top of me!'

"_For the second half of the session."_

'You are a bad, bad dragon.'

She could feel the bracelet loosen. _"That was uncalled for! Now I'm going to be depressed, some thanks I get from saving you from that boy!"_

'Fine, fine, you're a good little matchmaker.' She smiled slightly as she reached the sandy beach and waved up to Tessa. 'Besides, I wasn't enjoying every minute of it. It was more like…every second…'

* * *

A little bit of fluff for you all. And all Quidditch moves and such in the next chapter, along with names, is the result of spending exactly six hours and forty-three minutes playing Harry Potter Quidditch world cup with Nikki-chan, who, consequently, is going to Virginia. She'll be so far! And Eelie is leaving sometime later this week for the rest of August. She's going to upstate New York, but honestly, Americans are daft. They restrict the oddest things; like the last season of Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon, for chrissake! Ah, well. Enjoy!


	18. Japan Vs France

Disclaimer: Ah, ca tourjour? C'est pas pour moi.

**Blah Blah Blah: When Li Chen is speaking.**

Blah Blah Blah: When Sylvie St. Pierre is speaking.

**Blah Blah Blah: When Both of them are speaking**

* * *

**japan vs. france**

**issalee

* * *

**Ginny awoke the next morning feeling as heavy-headed. She cracked her eyes open and found herself staring into Gwinn's black eyes.

"What?" she asked irritably. The dragon clacked its teeth together just as miserably.

"Both of us like to sleep late, I see." He said mournfully. "But sadly, it's twelve minutes to two, and you have a match to attend to." He was barely finished before Ginny was up and running like the devil was at her tail. She took a wild guess, flung her trunk open and grabbed the first outfit sitting there, just as Tessa, Colin and Carina burst in, breathless.

"Gin! We've got twelve minutes!" Colin panted, in an attempt to catch his breath. "Gabrielle's waiting for us already by the field with our tickets!"

Carina eyed the clothes. "Er—Ginny, do you really—"

"No time for talk!" Ginny interrupted. "Quidditch is on the line! Clothes do not matter!" When she put her shirt over her head, however, she found that it didn't go past her navel. In fact…it didn't even reach the damn thing. The top was black, off the shoulder, and something she was sure she must have snuck from Tessa.

"Ginny, maybe you'd like to change?" The dark-haired girl said, raising an eyebrow. "That is, into something that belongs to you." But a bugle was heard from outside, and Ginny took a deep breath.

"For today, I sacrifice my dignity as a human and—ah, forget it, hand me the skirt and chain." And they complied.

* * *

Draco and Blaise were already seated on the Japanese side, Blaise muttering over where Tessa had gone off to, and Draco silently wondering the same about Ginny. Hermione was sitting on Draco's side, leaving a seat in between them. She bit her lip worriedly until she saw a flash of bright red, and stood. 

"Ginny! You're—" But her words died on her lips as the redhead clambered up the steps wearing the top (which I'm feeling too lazy to describe again) a skirt that showed plenty of leg on one side and was all black, exactly three belly chains, and with a black scarf tied around her head like a head band. The ends of the scarf trailed down her back along with her hair, which was in a braid. Ginny winked.

"Sorry, I overslept and it was the best I could do at the moment." She looked over at Blaise and Draco, both of whom seemed to have pulled on that cold Slytherin mask and shrugged, until she realized it was because Gwinn wasn't on her arm anymore.

"Ah…impertinent dragon," she muttered to the black-haired boy next to her. Gwinn shrugged and said, quite loudly, "You didn't expect me to stay all by my lonesome, did you?" And so saying, he pushed her into the seat next to Draco, sat down in Hermione's vacated seat, and fixed his eyes on the field. Ginny sighed before leaning closer and whispering in his ear.

"You damn matchmaker; you're worse than Dumbledore." The Elemental let a thin smile pass across his lips.

"You never said I couldn't come, and besides, last night Aislinn and I played a little game to see who could take on a human form. I won, and she's lending me some of her power so I can watch this whole thing."

"What was the game?" Ginny frowned.

"I bet her that you wouldn't wake up early. It pays to be telepathically linked to you!" Ginny hit him in the shoulder, before she realized that everyone was staring at her comfy interactions.

"Ginny, who is this?" Hermione asked curiously. Ginny exchanged a look with Colin and Tessa (He'd been told as soon as they'd gotten back from the beach) before turning to Gwinn, but he was already standing and had planted a firm kiss on Hermione's hand.

"My name is Gwinn—eh, just Gwinn. Change my last name every day, it's boring with just one, don't you know." Hermione giggled, and Ginny rolled her eyes while she shoved Gwinn back in his seat.

"Stupid, she _has_ a boyfriend, remember?" Gwinn smiled, and she tried to hide one of her own and ended up failing miserably. Tessa arched an eyebrow, and Ginny stuck her tongue out at the both of them, turning to face the other side.

Draco stared back at her, emotions carefully hidden. "Who is he?" She didn't answer, instead reaching up a hand in awe to finger his hair.

"Merlin! There's no gel here!"

And it was true. Draco frowned. After the incident at the beach, he'd been utterly distracted and had lost the bottle. He was in too much of a hurry to get to the match to buy anymore, and now his hair dropped in neat strands of platinum blonde hair, curling slightly at the ends; like Harry's hair, but much neater.

"Lost the gel," Blaise said next to him, and Draco realized he had been staring. Ginny smirked in a very Draco-ish way, before turning to the field, where the second bugle announcing the beginning of the game had started.

They were sitting in the best seats, exactly in the middle, and from it Ginny could see the Beauxbatons courtyard had changed very much. Hedges had popped up in a sort of maze, with a fountain spouting water in the very middle. On either side were the goal hoops and entrances. Banners fluttered from each side of the arena just as a booming voice filled it.

"**Welcome, one and all! My name is Li Chen, and I will be your announcer today! My co-announcer is Sylvie St. Pierre, and today we are watching the seventh game in the World Cup series, Japan vs. France! Next year, we hope to see one of these team in the World Cup!"**

Ginny couldn't see the announcers, but it didn't matter as suddenly, the doors below them opened. A woman's voice, with a slight French accent behind it spoke up.

"Here is the Japanese team! Their Chasers are coming first, and good Chasers they are indeed! Here we have Noriyuki Saado!"

Ginny cheered with the rest of the crowd as a man with large spikes of blue hair flew out, dressed in the Japanese quidditch robes. Green and yellow underneath for the padding, with the actual robe being white, and a red dragon curling (actually moving!) on the lower back and around the sleeves.

"**Ah, and here we have Hideyuki Tanaka!"**

A man with black hair pulled back into a ponytail and a dark blonde streak down the center pulled out, waving. He had on thin glasses, and as he waved, Saado flew over and tapped them with his wand, supposedly for a sticking charm.

"Yoshihiro Suzuki!"

The last Chaser was a man with dozens of small brown spikes and a red headband and glasses flew out, tapping his own face with his wand. He seemed slightly shorter than the others, but had the same sleek build of a chaser.

"**Now the Beaters! Reiko Kiuchi is a marvelous gal, I asked her out on a date once! She said no, sadly. And there's Kenichi Ogata right behind her! The man is crazy, just look at his hair!"**

But both Beaters had unusual hair. Reiko's hair was the same light blue color as Saado's, and had a ponytail on the sides of her head, leaving more hair to spill out. She was indeed, attractive. Ogata's hair was a shock of different colors, standing up in a punk-ish electrocuted look. He was the only person who looked to be Non-Asian.

"Here is their Keeper, Yosuke Ito, who has conceded a goal only when severely injured or unable to fly!"

A man who looked to be absolutely bald except for one ponytail of green hair flew out, with goggles shaped like a bee's eyes covering his eyes. There seemed to be a hush now, as everyone awaited Japan's new seeker.

"**Now, this girl has never been seen before, but Japan assures us she's great. This is her first game, seeing as Misayo, the old seeker, had her arm broken and is under strict orders not to fly. We're hoping that she'll prove her worth! Give a hand for Atsashi Sakai!"**

There was an explosion on the Japanese side of the stadium as a young girl only just out of school flew out, with short black hair pulled back into two ponytails. She seemed a little nervous, and rocked on her broom as she joined her team.

"France! I know you know your team, so let me introduce them to you! Our Chasers, Thierry Bourdon, Hildegard Lafarge, and Josephine Ballard!"

Two women with shoulder-length black hair flew out in the traditional white and light blue robes, followed by a man with the same colored hair and a slightly snooty look about him.

"The Beaters, Stefan Gordon and Sophie Goodwin!"

A man and woman with brown hair, either family by blood or by marriage flew out with giant grins on their faces.

"The Keeper, Brigitte Lecordier!"

A woman with blond hair and steely blue eyes took her spot in front of the goalpost, obviously the Captain of her team by the way everyone quailed slightly under her stare.

And finally, their Seeker, Nathalie Blegnie!"

A woman with short cropped black hair and tanned skin flew upwards, flashing a bright-toothed smile at the frenzied crowds.

"**LET THE GAMES BEGIN!"**

The referee pulled underneath both of the teams, waited a moment, then signaled. Below her, another ref released the balls. The Golden Snitch fluttered into sight for a moment before disappearing rapidly. The ref above blew their whistle, and threw the Quaffle up.

Saado caught if first, and a rippling passed through the French side. He passed it to Tanaka, who narrowly avoided Lafarge as he swooped underneath her. But Bourdon was coming too close, and he had Stefan behind him, club raised and Bludger on the way, so the he sent it to Suzuki.

There was a split second where the Quaffle seemed too high, but in a fantastic move that showed exactly how good the Chasers were, Suzuki grasped his broom with both hands, flipped over in a handstand, and stopped the ball with his legs. It fell quickly down his back, and as he returned to his normal sitting position, he grasped it firmly under his arm.

"GO!" Ginny found herself scrambling over Gwinn in an attempt to follow the Chaser as he sped down the field. "GO TOWARDS THE GOAL, GO, GO!"

Suzuki actually looked towards her, flashed a thumbs up (leaving him without any hands on the broom!) before veering sharply in front of the goal and throwing it into the lower right hoop.

Ginny screamed.

Thankfully, she wasn't alone, as everyone was erupting into cheers. Hermione seemed particularly joyful (she explained later it was because Japan was the only team she had ever been interested in for Quidditch) and she was standing on top of her seat as she cried out.

"**And Lecordier is retrieving the Quaffle. She's thrown it to Ballard, and she's taking off—what's this? Merlin, that's a bold move for Saado!"**

The blue-haired Chaser was flying directly next to Ballard, seemingly unawares of the two Beaters flying next to him. Saado cast the Beaters a face, before swooping low as if he were leaving them alone. But with speed that defied any laws of gravity, he gripped his broom with one hand, swung both his legs over and kicked the ball out of Ballard's grasp. With the same speed he grabbed the ball from the air, made a daring swoop and took off down the stadium.

"YES!" Ginny turned around and had to work to stifle a grin as she saw Draco cheering loudly. Gwinn was standing off to her side, watching not the game but both of them as Draco turned to the redhead, caught her eye, and winked.

There was a loud whoop from a big, rather obese man standing behind them without any shirt on, just as Saado passed to Tanaka, who volleyed it in for another goal.

There was no time for any of the Chasers to celebrate, however, as the French Keeper pulled up the Quaffle and shot with startling force, almost knocking over Bourdon, who managed to catch it.

With a start, he turned and realized he was directly in front of the Japanese goals. Looking dazed, Bourdon threw the ball in. Ito was on the other side. He never had a chance, and the French side erupted in cheers.

The game went on like that for quiet a while, and about two hours in, the score was France: 260 and Japan: 240. The reason for such a low score was that the French Chasers had somehow gotten it into their heads that if they kept the Quaffle away from a Japanese Chaser, and kept all three Chasers from each other, they had a chance of winning. And the funny thing was, it worked.

Ginny was sitting on the edged of her seat, hoping against all hopes that some miracle would happen. She didn't realize her hand had subconsciously wrapped itself around Draco's, and was squeezing it, as if looking for a little bit of reassurance.

Suddenly, there was a hush along the pitch. Hildegard Lafarge seemed to be struggling in the air, the Quaffle hugged to her side. In a moment of pure divine intermission, Reiko Kiuchi sent a Bludger careening Lafarge's way. The Chaser looked up, opened her mouth, and promptly shut it again as the Bludger caught her in the stomach, forcing her to drop the Quaffle.

Saado immediately went under, grabbing the ball. A loud groan arose from the French side as they realized Tanaka and Suzuki were right next to him.

"Let's go!" Saado shouted clearly, and they tore down the pitch. The three French Chasers were in a line, forming an attempt to stop them. But Saado shot forward off his broom and spun in the air over their heads for a moment before falling behind them and grabbing the handle of the broom (A Firebolt, like his whole team's), which had shot between the opposing team. Without waiting, he shot the ball to Suzuki.

Suzuki stopped as soon as he got the Quaffle so as to kick the person rushing to him, the Keeper, Brigitte from her broom. He took careful aim and with deadly precision, hurled the ball across the pitch to Tanaka, who hit the Quaffle with his fist so that it went straight through the middle goal.

But Saado was right behind the hoop, and again, holding onto his broom with a hand he flung a leg into the air. It connected with the ball and sent it soaring in a diagonal line directly towards Suzuki, who jumped into the air, turned one circle, and hit the ball with the flat of his foot. He landed on both feet on his broom, and the ball went straight through the hoop.

There was complete and utter silence.

"**GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLL!"**

"Mon Dieu! That was certainly unexpected!"

The whole Japanese section jumped to their feet, roaring in happiness. Suzuki flew towards the stands where Ginny was, flashed her a huge grin and stood on the tip of his broom. Looking perfectly at home, he performed a back flip and ended up sitting. Ginny smiled back, but had to stop herself giggling when she heard Draco mutter "Show-off" under his breath.

"**Sylvie, look there! I think Nathalie has spotted the Snitch!"**

The cheers on both sides intensified as Atsashi Sakai pulled back and dropped like a stone to where Nathalie was heading. Suddenly, Sakai pulled out of the dive and shot forward.

"She was faking, she was faking!" Tessa shrieked. "Sakai's spotted the real Snitch!" Blegnie was hurrying to catch up, and now the two Seekers were battling it out. Blegnie pushed viciously at the younger girl's broom, and Atsashi almost fell off before she regained her balance. Showing her country's balance, she put on an extra burst of speed before jumping up and standing on her broom.

_Standing._

And she was rushing after the Snitch, going at almost a hundred miles an hour, swerving around and around the pitch. The audience was boggled, and even more so when she suddenly lunged. Atsashi fell for a moment, before her broom swept under her, and she grabbed hold if it. A grin unfurled around her mouth, and she punched her fist in the air.

The Snitch was fluttering in it!

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ginny stood on her seat and screamed along with the rest of the crowd as Saado and Suzuki rushed up to hug Atsashi breathless.

The traditional chant went up:

_Douka Shita No? Douka Shita No?_ (What's wrong, what's wrong)

_Have you lost, have you lost_

_Yeah, Japan shows you who's boss!_

_Arigatou, Arigatou, _(Thank you, thank you)

_Thank you for the win!_

_Wasurenai, we warned you! _(Don't forget, we warned you)

_What it is we do!_

_Kireru, kireru, crush, crush, crush! _(To break, to break, crush, crush, crush)

_We thank you for the good play!_

_We wish you a good day!_

_And leave you with two words:_

_Ja ne! _(See you later)

Ginny was suddenly crushed as Draco enveloped her in a hug, his eyes silver in delight. "We won!" He whispered in her ear. She pulled away a little, smiling.

"Yeah, we did." And she kissed him.

* * *

...So what do you think? As I said in the last chapter, I'm basing most of these moves off the Quidditch World Cup game, and that was Japan's team special move. Some moves I've made up, but tell me, did I do a good job? Oh, and the little song insert was completely and totally random, something I just did for the hell of it.


	19. Love Sorta Sucks

**Japanese Terms:**

**Ohayo: Hello**

**Ai: Love**

**Hai: Yes**

**Nani: What**

**Chigau: That's not right!**

**Baka: stupid; idiot**

**Mouichido: One more time**

**Kokoro: Heart**

Ooh, you lot are going to hate me for this chapter.

Disclaimer: Oh woe is me…it cannot be…ever, forever, mine.

* * *

**love sorta sucks**

**issalee

* * *

**Draco drew away first, surprised that he was still getting intoxicated by these little, not so passionate kisses. He tried to conjure up a smirk, but it ended up as a goofy smile.

"What was that for?"

Ginny smiled up at him, wagging a finger mischievously. "That's for me to know, and for you to find out." Draco frowned. He hated being out-maneuvered, and so when Ginny made as if to move away, he caught onto her wrists.

"Come on, Ginevra. This 'friends with benefits' deal is getting tiring. Surely you'd want to be—more?" There, he'd said it. Draco watched in a sort of morbid fascination as Ginny's face reflected several emotions, one of them clearly being horror. He recoiled into himself then, seeing that, and the icy façade was back.

"Of course, I suppose the likes of you wouldn't dabble with me." He sneered, suddenly very angry. Ginny caught the note, and as the crowd around her continued to celebrate, ignoring the conversation between them, she was abruptly furious.

"I should be saying that about you, Malfoy."

"So it's back to Malfoy, then? Whatever happened to Draco?" he said, somewhat spitefully. Ginny's demeanor towards him changed completely then, and she pried her wrists away from him.

"I said I'd call you Draco when you were like yourself. Now you're like your idiot father." She knew immediately she had crossed the line, as a low growl wormed its way from Draco's throat.

"I thought, Weasley, that I had warned you enough times in the past not to use my father. Of course, I don't expect your kind, poor as you are, to pick up the newspaper sometimes and find your father's under assault too."

It was true. Just recently, people had been complaining that the remaining Death Eaters that had not been rounded up were rising to power, with a new person firmly established as their leader. Arthur Weasley was being bombarded with questions, as he was frequently on the scene, and many rumors were starting to make their way towards him. Ginny felt a blush rise in her cheeks.

"At least my father's not some dirty bastard who feeds children to snakes!"

Draco drew himself up to his full height, towering over her in his rage. His voice was soft but the words were laced with a deadly malice. "My father is a better man than you are a girl. He didn't play the consort to some half-breed fool with no body; he knew better, and apparently, had much more self-respect."

As soon as he said it, Draco wished he could take it back. Ginny's mouth flapped open like a fish's, and her face suddenly paled. Looking very much like a lost ten year old, she sniffed.

"Fine. I knew I shouldn't have trusted you. Ron was right, you are no good."

Draco deflated, and he made as if to catch her hands again. "Ginevra, wait, I—" But she deflected his attempts, pushing past Gwinn, who was looking murderous, and everyone else. The last Draco saw of her, there was a trail of tears down her pale cheeks.

The Slytherin suddenly felt something on his arm, and he followed the hand squeezing his wrist enough to stop the circulation, and found himself looking into Gwinn's gleaming black orbs.

"You've made a mistake you'll forever regret, Draco Malfoy." The words weren't whispered with anger; rather, they held a hint of sadness, and then Gwinn was gone. Draco stood, gaping at the spot where the two had been standing, before someone tapped him on the shoulder.

Ronald Bilius Weasley, looking thoroughly disgruntled and with his hands on his hips was staring him down. "It's time to go, and I need to know, where's Ginny?"

* * *

Gwinn found her curled up in an alcove of the inside of the school, sobbing softly, and as he slowly became an Elemental again, he flew over to her and perched on her knee. 

"Ginny, I am sorry. I didn't realize he was this—stubborn, but he will come around, I assure you—" But he was stopped when Ginny's hand shot out, pushing him off her knee so that he tumbled to the ground.

"No!" she said, breath hitching. "No, Gwinn, please. I don't—I don't want to be with him. He's just a cold heartless brat, and I made a mistake when I started kidding myself and thinking that maybe, just maybe, he was starting to like me."

The Elemental took no offense from her previous actions, flapping his wings instead so that he hovered right in front of her, long tail cracking behind him like a whip. "Your friends will be looking for you."

Ginny wiped her face, stifling another cry as she stood up. "And they'll find me, no worries." She picked up the Elemental, shaking her head.

"I swear, Gwinn, if this is my luck with guys, I don't think we'll ever get to meet Gwendolyn." She almost laughed as the beast's lips curved downwards in a frown, fangs glittering.

"Not like I'd mind, really."

She giggled, then.

* * *

Around seven that night, the Great Hall of Beauxbatons had been transformed, with upbeat music playing and decorations for the Japanese supporters. Even so, many non-Japanese enthusiasts came to the after-party. 

When Ginny wandered down, now dressed in a form fitting, black dress with long bell sleeves and knee-high boots, the party was already in full swing. Feeling more than a little put-out as she spotted Tessa and Blaise were very busy in another corner, and Colin and Carina in another, she made her way over to the long wooden table sagging with food and poured herself a cup of pumpkin juice.

Someone tapped her shoulder, and she turned to see Harry grinning apologetically. "Sorry, Gin, just had to make sure it was you. Your brother near beat up Malfoy when he said he had no idea where you were."

Stiffening slightly at the name, Ginny nodded curtly. "Did he? Shame he didn't, though." As soon as Harry gave her a questioning look, Ginny changed the subject. "Where's Luna?"

The raven-haired boy scratched the back of his head. "Er…she says she has to make sure there aren't any Henners, else she can't dance. They'll tie her legs together while she does, otherwise."

Ginny nodded sagely. "Ah. Well, I'm off, I've got to go find some people to party with, dance and all that jazz. You're a taken man now, Harry. I can't be seen with you." She laughed as he colored, then melted into the crowd.

The redhead ended up dancing with at least twelve different boys before she managed to cross the dance floor, but as soon as she turned around, it was to see someone she hadn't been expecting; Yoshihiro Suzuki, smiling broadly.

"Ah, this is the girl who was so intent on the match!" He explained, and Ginny realized the whole Japanese Quidditch team was behind him.

Saado smiled at her, his blue hair neon under the lights. "Ohayo, ai, I'm Noriyuki Saado." Ginny managed to speak then.

"I know who you are…" she named the team members, and they all smiled even more at her, Suzuki especially. But Saado was right next to her, and as he slipped an arm about her waist, he winked roguishly.

"Hey, the real party's in the Japanese quarters. You wanna come?"

He flinched as Atsashi smacked him in the arm. "Nori, you baka, leave her alone. She's only about my age! You're _old_!" She seemed much more confident now that she had won her first game.

Saado looked scandalized. "Nani! Chigau, I'm only twenty-one! Hiro's got ages on me, like fifty years! No, that's Yuki!" Tanaka and Suzuki hit him on the head at the same time, earning a sigh from Reiko Kiuchi, while Kenichi just laughed.

Ginny suddenly felt as if they were a family, and wished she could have a job like that. Instead, she turned to Atsashi and grinned. "That was a beautiful catch you made; Harry would love to have you on the team."

"Harry Potter?" Atsashi said, eyes crinkling good-naturedly. "Ah yes, Madame Maxine told us he was here, and he's a Seeker too? The headmaster of your school, he let us have a look though his Pensieve; Potter-san is a very good flyer."

"Not as good as you." Ginny said earnestly. "I swear, even Harry's eyes were glazed over when he thought about you on his team. He's Captain now, but let me tell you, he's horrible and schedules practices every day."

They laughed, but Saado looked intrigued. "You are on the team? What position do you play?" Ito elbowed him, as if it was a rude question, but Ginny felt a strange pride swell up in her as she answered.

"I'm a Chaser, and I at least think I'm pretty good."

Tanaka chuckled. "That's the way to go about it. Mouichido, Sashi, tell the young one how you began." Atsashi smiled, eyes slightly misted over.

"Oh, hai. It was beautiful. At Kokoro School For Witches, our Quidditch teams were so competitive; I never even got onto one until my sixth year because they thought I wasn't good enough. But when I started, I trained every day, even though my Captain kept saying I could never make it. She knew how to make me try harder, though, and one day my cousin comes by and he sees how good I am. He tells me to stop by a practice, seen they're looking for a Seeker, and they'll check me out. It all just went uphill from there."

"Wow." Ginny said, honestly curious. "But who's your cousin?"

"I am." Suzuki pointed to himself as he ruffled Atsashi's hair. "Sashi here is lucky I had such great connections; me, Yoshihiro and Hideyuki have been friends since we were little things. Reiko was Hiro's old girlfriend, and Kenichi and Yosuke were Reiko's cousins. It all worked out, and it seems like we're all related."

"I can see that." Ginny nodded. "But you all seem so young! This team has been playing for how long with these same players minus Atsashi—two years?"

Ito nodded. "Hai. Hideyuki was twenty, Noriyuki was nineteen and Yoshihiro was eighteen. Reiko started at twenty, Kenichi at twenty-five, and I started at twenty-three. Atsashi here started the youngest, she's only seventeen now."

"And proud," added the teenaged girl. "But it looks like I've got to act my age now, and scout for some guys. Do you have any ideas?" She said, looking at Ginny. Suzuki suddenly seemed to be standing closer to her, glaring at all the boys looking their way, but Ginny grinned.

"You could try Seamus Finnegan—he's the Irish boy, just over there by the punch. He broke up with Lavender Brown a few months back, so he's free." Atsashi thanked her and wandered off, with Suzuki following her with his eyes.

"I don't like the way she walks." The spiky-haired man decreed. "Her hips move, and the boys look. I must be crazy—I've got to stop her!" But Reiko grabbed his sleeve, steering him away.

"Leave her be. Just because her brothers aren't here doesn't mean you have to take over for them." She looked over at Ginny. "He's so overprotective."

"I know how Atsashi feels," Ginny said forlornly. "I have six older ones. But they all get theirs, in the end." The group laughed, and Tanaka wandered off with Ito, Ogata and Reiko soon after.

"Tell me about your brothers!" Suzuki asked, eyes gleaming.

"I want to hear about your Quidditch team." Saado said.

Ginny grinned wryly as she and the two boys talked, spanning both subjects and enjoying herself greatly. By the time the party was over, they had managed to trade addresses and locations their owls could reach each other by. Ginny was surprised when Saado suddenly pointed out that they had ceremonial dragons to do such tasks, and she was sure she heard Gwinn muttering something about slavery in the back of her mind.

Atsashi came back a moment later, clutching the same information in her hand ad gushing about Seamus, the boy who "had such a great sense of humor it filled Tokyo ten times over!" Suzuki bristled a bit, but Ginny had already smoothed his spikes by telling him everything she could about the Irish boy.

"You'll owl—er, dragon, right?" she said, feeling a bit sheepish.

Suzuki and Saado smiled, almost identical ones. "Of course!" They answered, and then leaned down to kiss her cheeks. Ginny blushed as the two also gave her tight hugs, before waving and walking off with the rest of the team.

She touched a hand to each cheek, never once noticing the gray eyes that had been following her throughout the whole party.

* * *

Tessa burst into her room later that night, spouting apologies about missing the redhead greatly. Ginny smiled, ignoring them, and patted her bed. 

"We've got some Cho-bashing to do." She said deviously. "As long as we do it off the Hogwarts grounds, Dumbledore can't blame us, and we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"Today," Tessa corrected her. "It's already two in the morning, Gin." The redhead waved a hand absently.

"Yes, yes, well, I have the plan. It was the one were planning to sneak into the Ravenclaw boy's dorm to do, remember? But then that trick about the chocolate fudge and vanilla pudding on Bill and Charlie distracted us."

"Oh….ooooooohhhhhhh." Tessa said, eyes shining. "Shall we do it now? Aislinn and Gwinn can help!"

"Of course!" Ginny said, rubbing her hands together. "Now, here's what we'll do…"

* * *

Cho Chang rubbed fiercely at her nose as she walked down the darkened hallways. It was still slightly squashed, although the nurse claimed it was just fine. Cho was a bit miffed, however, when she heard Harry had kissed Luna for punching her. No matter; Lovegood would pay, someday. 

She was still feeling a bit saddened, as she had tried to make conversation with one of the Japanese team's players; a man with odd blue hair, she thought. She'd told him he should have made it normal, it would have suited him better than that horrendous color, and for some odd reason, he'd backed away and went back to his team.

It was at times like these that Cho Chang wished Cedric were alive. He at least, unlike the other boys of Hogwarts, had showered praises and lavish gifts upon her. Even when he caught her snogging that other boy—who was it? Oh, yes, Roger Davies. Well, everyone was snogging Davies these days, she told him, and he'd been ok with it.

The day he died, he had promised her all the riches in the world and more when he came out of the maze with the money. Cho really had loved him; but material things got in the way, and she never realized it till it was too late. By that time, Harry had the money, the fame, and all sorts of other things. She felt it was in her best duty to add herself to that list too.

Something moved in the corridor, startling her. Cho swung around, her black hair whipping in her face as she did so, and obscuring her vision. By the time she had managed to remove the hair amongst a slew of curses, the corridor was empty again, save her. Shrugging it off, she continued moving.

As she reached the stairs, she looked down and gasped. The steps had all been crystallized, frozen over so that it made a glass slide. As Cho gazed at it in wonder, she never noticed the thing fluttering behind her until a great gust of wind pushed her over, and she fell head over heels onto the slide.

Cho attempted a screech, just as someone cast a Silencing Spell on her from below. Still screaming mutely, she slid down and around, over banisters and past doors, descending from one landing to the next. About a minute after she first fell, Cho landed in an ungainly heap on the ground floor, peering about in an attempt to see her attacker.

Something caught her eye, and she looked over her shoulder. Brown eyes stared back before someone shouted "Stupefy!" behind her, and she was knocked out.

* * *

The next morning, the whole of Beauxbatons turned out to wave goodbye to the Hogwarts students. They gathered in the courtyard, and as they milled about, Madame Maxine appeared before them, in front of the iron gates. 

"I 'ope you 'ave all enjoyed your time! We all 'ope to see you again, soon! _Au revoir_!" And she waved at them tearfully. A great banner unfurled above her in what was supposed to be the Hogwarts emblem, but instead of clapping, a great gasp arose in the air. Instead of the Hogwarts sign, a big, painted on white banner read "Crap Frog Leg School For Sale", and Cho Change was hanging from a line, blushing profusely and with a paintbrush in her hand. She was wearing nothing but a hot pink thong and bikini (which Ginny and Tessa had actually found underneath her clothes) and her body had been transfigured to look like she weighed eight hundred pounds at the least, which, when the thong/bikini set was added, caused a lot of illnesses that day.

Underneath the bigger words, in smaller blue print were the words: "Evil porker of a woman rules over kids with more beauty than brains, and even then it's just barely."

Now those words were a direct quote, uttered by Cho when she had woken up and had started muttering about anything and everything. Tessa had been reluctant to put it on, but when Ginny pointed out that since it was the truth it couldn't hurt, she had relented.

Cho had a split second to look around and wave meekly (she hadn't seen the sign yet) before a great roar went up.

Ginny and Tessa were sitting in a window, watching the results with delighted smiles. At that moment, they were sure nothing could have been funnier. Ginny had told Tessa about Draco's comments, and she had been furious, predictably.

"Maybe we should do the same to Malfoy." She said absently. Ginny glanced at her from the corner of her eyes.

"What happened to taking a leaf from Luna's book?"

"The leaf ripped."

Ginny smiled. "Ok, fine, I get it. You aren't going to let this go. But you have to understand, it's just because he's so smug and arrogant. If he wasn't, maybe he wouldn't have said those things, and maybe something could have happened." She stared into the distance, and a spark ignited in Tessa's brain. Aislinn caught onto it quickly, and relayed it to Gwinn, who immediately agreed.

Ginny missed the smirk that rose on Tessa's features, so much like the one Draco wore. If she had, maybe she could have avoided the next few events.

* * *

No offense to Cho-lovers, yadda-yadda-yadda, but if you're offended, do flame, I'd love a good laugh. She deserved that, and I'm not sorry to say, I enjoyed writing it. The joke was a result of a failed one; Nikki-chan and I had set it all up for the school, we had the banner saying Crap School For Sale all ready, but the sandbags we were supposed to use got tied around my legs and I ended up hanging upside down next to the sign. Needless to say, we were v.v. relieved when our principal decided it was funnier than anything else and gave us only a weeks' worth of after school detention. Where is the lurve, peoples?


	20. Life and Mehhiness

Everyone must worship The Von Bondies. Because I said so. No, because their band is very good. And if anyone, anyone at all has heard of Cibo Matto or Pizzicato Five, smack me a word on your review! Sorry, no review replies because...TODAY WE NAME THE LAPIN-BLACK BUN-BUNS! I am ecstatic like hellions. And to **Nickitjuh**:Meh is a word someone made up, I think, and it fits in when you want someone to be sort of indifferent to whatever it is they're doing. Plus, I have a weird obsession with that word, bands no one has heard of (If you've heard of Mooney Suzuki, you tell me and I'll dedicate a chapter to you) and names. Normal, or weird names. Like did you know Ringo, a Japanese name, means Apple peace be with you? Meh.  


Disclaimer: I repudiate. (And I wrote this while listening to God Put A Smile Upon Your Face by Coldplay. That was fun…) I also don't own Taking Back Sunday's "Cute Without The E' or the White Stripes' "My Doorbell". Damn.

* * *

**life and meh-hiness.**

**issalee

* * *

**When the sixth and seventh years returned to Hogwarts, they were all lectured on the nature of pranks that were appropriate and non-appropriate. Not one of them heard them, as they were all passing around pictures of Cho that Colin Creevey had managed to snap. November soon became a sluggish month, though.

With it came a change in Ginny Weasley. She was throwing herself into everything with either a burning passion or deep depression. In the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw game, she nearly bulldozed the Keeper through the middle hoop. Later the next day, several people pulled her aside to ask whether or not she needed to lie down.

Ginny had become even more of an enigma than before, and people had noticed the same change in Draco Malfoy. He seemed reclusive now, and unless it was for classes, he was rarely found.

Tessa, Colin and Ginny were sitting by the lake one windy Saturday. Ginny was sitting down, wearing a thick sweater and peasant skirt with cowboy boots, which had her friends looking. She _never_ bundled up, claiming that the cold made her skin feel prickly in a good way. In her lap she cradled a copy of _Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them_, while she held a tuna sandwich slightly away from it with her other hand.

Tessa was scribbling a last-minute essay for Charms, and Colin was dismantling his camera. They all looked up when a group of Slytherins trooped out, stopping just short of them. In the middle of the group, looking as if he had been forced out, Draco Malfoy walked slowly without the usual grace. Pansy Parkinson was clinging to his arm.

Ginny had calmly, and without a word, shut her book, stood up, and walked steadily back to the castle. Her friends had watched her go with surprised looks, but nothing more so compared than the looks on the faces of the Slytherins. Neither of them had ever managed to so much as make the youngest Weasley move an inch; it was a miracle in its own right.

Tessa had offered a scathing glare at Draco before standing up, Colin right behind her, and the two went after their friend. Pansy looked askance at Draco.

"What's with them?"

The silver-eyed Slytherin pushed her away, and with slow, plodding steps not befitting of him, he trudged to his own rooms. There was a Sleeping Draught there that was just screaming his name…

* * *

A week later, the Slytherins beat the Hufflepuffs in a rather easy match. Tessa decided that this was a good time to approach Blaise about the problem. She'd already told Luna, Carina, Harry and Hermione. Although all of them (Luna especially) had felt that Draco needed to have his head pounded into his stomach, she had stymied their advances, saying that Ginny would most likely kill them for killing Draco, the Wizarding World would kill her for killing Harry, and then there wouldn't be much left now would there? 

So she met Blaise in the library the same day, and as he sat down, eyes shining, she didn't hesitate before spilling, and then waited. She didn't have to, for long.

"HE SAID WHAT! I'LL KILL HIM, THE SON OF A—"

Madame Pince suddenly shot a Silencing Spell at him, appearing suddenly from behind the bookshelves. "Be quiet, Mr. Zabini, else I'll have to forcibly remove you!" she hissed frostily. Blaise had glared at her until she'd lifted the spell and gone.

"He did what?" He whispered to Tessa. "How could he!"

Tessa shrugged. "I have no idea, but I know you've noticed! Ginny's gotten so dreamy she out-vagues Luna at times! Draco hasn't looked at anyone but her and you in the past few days, and—"

She stopped, and Blaise turned to see what she was looking at. Ginny had wandered in, and, seemingly oblivious to them, was flipping through a dusty tome. A first year tripped next to her, and she scarcely looked down as she held out a hand to help him. He whispered a timid thank-you, and as she looked up, she saw Tessa and Blaise.

"Oh. Hi."

"Hi, Gin." Tessa said, with what was obviously a strained smile. "Tell me, what did the first year say to you?" She silenced Blaise's confused look with a glare, just as Ginny answered.

"He tripped and when I helped him up he said, 'May the Light shine upon you always.'" Blaise stared, and Tessa nodded.

"Did he really?" Blaise blurted. Ginny smiled, one that wasn't as full as it could have been. "Of course not. He said thank you, and I merely switched it for something that sounded better. Life's been a bit dull these days, hasn't it?"

Without another way, she walked away, still smiling benignly. Tessa raised her eyebrows like she had just seen something she was used to.

"Does that answer your question?"

Blaise looked stunned, then amused. "I never asked you one." Tessa rapped her knuckles on the table, startling him.

"Focus, Blaise. We need to find some way to help Ginny out. I'm spreading the word to the Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws who were in on the objectives."

"But that's just Justin and Luna. Have you told We—Ron yet?"

Tessa sighed. "That step is reserved for the day we put this Objective into action. For now, he's out of the running. I need you to tell Carina, ok? Here's the plan—"

"Wait." Blaise held up a hand, eyes twinkling. "In the spirit of Ginny's well being, we have to name the Objective first. Have you got anything?"

Tessa started to argue, before she closed her mouth. She remembered the first time she had noticed the change between Ginny and Draco, when he and Blaise had stumbled upon them dancing in the classroom, and the peacock feather and what Ginny had said. A slow smile spread across her face.

"Blaise? We've got to work hard on this one." She scribbled something down on a piece of paper and stood. "Meet me with Carina in the Great Hall. I'll bring the others down. We'll work together on it." And she left.

Blaise took a look at the paper before smiling widely, and just barley managed to check his instinct to yell as he walked coolly out of the library in search of Carina. On the table, a piece of parchment fluttered to the ground. Written on it in Tessa's spidery, curvy handwriting were the words:

_Objective: Defeathering The Peacock._

* * *

Ginny was sitting by herself, a rarity now that her friends seemed to think she needed extra protection. It was about two weeks or so since she had seen Blaise and Tessa in the library, and this weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend. 

She, Colin and Tessa normally never went to Hogsmeade, preferring instead to set their pranks in place while everyone was out. This weekend, they both had _dates._

Ginny didn't feel sad. On the contrary, she welcomed this chance away from her friends. She also knew that this was the last Hogsmeade trip before Christmas, and one of the last times she would ever be alone that year, so she spent it wisely.

Draco had also declined to go to Hogsmeade, and he had no idea anyone but him had either. He'd given up on trying to get the redhead alone, and today he just wanted some time unaccompanied. He found that wasn't so easy, though, when he heard a girl's voice, followed shortly by a male's.

Being careful not to make any noise, he approached the room (which he was sure he had never seen before, come to think of it) and let the door open a little. What he saw shocked him slightly.

Ginny Weasley was lounging in what was obviously a throne, surrounded by dozens of stuffed animals. A song was playing from a particularly large one, and he heard it quite clearly.

"_I'm thinkin' about my doorbell when you gonna ring it, when you gonna ring it?"_

Ginny was doing an odd swaying movement from the door, and Draco's blood boiled in his veins when he heard the male voice say, quite clearly:

"Your hearing is atrocious, if you listen to such music. Couldn't we think of a better way to spend our date?" Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Shut up. This is NOT a date. And this song is awesome! Would you rather I spend the day crying?" The male voice was quick to assure her that no, he did not.

A female voice joined them quite suddenly. "ARGH! GWINN, GET YOUR FAT ARSE OFF MY HEAD!"

The male replied indignantly. "Why don't _you_ get _your_ fat head out from under my arse? No one asked you to stick it there!"

"You _sat_ on me!"

"Well, if Miss Ginny here hadn't let so many stuffed animals in, I wouldn't have mistaken you for one!" Draco had no time to decipher this strange comment before Ginny spoke up, amusement plain in her voice.

"Here, Gwinn, come and sit in my lap and leave Aislinn alone. She's just upset because Tessa left her here."

Draco's knuckles turned white as his hands clenched into fists, but they soon relaxed as he saw something that looked exactly like a _dragon_, of all things, fly into Ginny's lap. She stroked its head as it pouted, and she smiled a little.

"There now, Gwinn."

"Your music is too loud."

Draco suppressed a laugh as Ginny unceremoniously dumped Gwinn from her lap as she stood. "Yeah, wait till you hear this!"

And she whispered into the stuffed animal's (it was a bear) ear. The song changed immediately to something loud and raucous, but with recognizable lyrics.

"_And will you tell all your friends, you've got your gun to my head!"_

"Taking Back Sunday kicks arse!" Ginny shouted gleefully as she dodged something Gwinn had blown her way. It looked like—_ice?_ He was getting rapidly confused, until Ginny uttered a soft shriek as she ran through the door and straight into his body.

He caught a glimpse of a white dragon, just like the first one flapping above them with feminine curves. It offered him a toothy smile before taking a deep breath and blowing. He reflexively gripped Ginny around the waist as they went sliding down the hallway and toward the stairs.

But the first dragon was there, blowing ice over it so that it seemed like a slide. Ginny was alternately sneaking glances at him and attempting to grab onto something, while he simply stared at her.

Gods, he'd never missed a person so much before.

"Malfoy!" She shouted, bringing him back to reality. "Malfoy, grab that pole next to you! We have to stop!"

But he wasn't giving up so readily, not after having heard her address him after she hadn't spoken to him for such a long time. "Where do these stairs lead?"

She glared at him irately as they swung another corner unconsciously wrapping her arms around his neck for support. "I don't know!" But right after she said, "Right in front of the Great Hall, and if we kept going we'd go through the doors. Why?"

She asked why, as in why would you want to know?

But he heard why, wouldn't you like to know?

With a quick move, he had shifted slightly so she didn't notice. But it was enough, as at that moment, they slid from the edge of the stairs. As he had expected, there was only a narrow path of ice leading to the entrance. Those beings had given him a choice, and as the white one kept up her wind pushing, she winked at him.

The two flew out over the stairs, landing heavily on the grass and tumbling for a while before coming up at the edge of the lake. Draco opened his eyes first, and realized Ginny had hers shut, and she was trembling slightly.

"Ginevra?" He whispered. "It's over." Before she could say a word, he pressed his lips to hers, softly but insistently. Ginny didn't protest; she welcomed the warm feel of his lips, feeling as though she were drowning.

Draco pulled away first, and touched a hand to her face. "See this? That was what I wanted." He pulled himself to his feet and walked back to the castle, never once looking behind him.

Ginny watched him go, apprehension in her eyes. Gwinn and Aislinn were perched in the tree above her, watching with curiosity. Just as Ginny made to go, a lithe, red dragon (Think Haku from Spirited Away) landed just in front of her, its body moving in little rivulets. In its jaws was a roll of parchment.

Ginny patted it on the head and took the parchment. She fished about in her pocket for a moment before she came up with some little cutlets she had learned to carry around with her, either for the Elementals or the Carrier Dragons. The red dragon nipped at her fingers before taking the food and floating away.

"You could do without the wings, you know." Ginny addressed the two Elementals above her, and they both hissed. She ignored them, however, as two owls had just landed in front of her. Her face brightened.

"By the Gods, am I popular or what?" She picked one of the owls up and it nuzzled her face. "You're Fred's owl, aren't you? Fledge?" It hooted happily at her, and she smiled. The other owl was a normal barn owl, and she took the parchment from this one first.

* * *

_Ginny,_

_In response to your letter, yes, I do understand what you mean._

_I'm sorry, it's been almost a month since I've last written, but you have to understand, what you told me about wasn't exactly the best thing a mother could hear. Your father is still clinging to the hope that this is some cruel joke you'll laugh at us for being too old to understand. But my dear, if you plan on being friends with Draco Malfoy, who am I to step in? Besides, Tessa intercepted my first three Howlers and I hear she flushed them down Moaning Myrtle's toilet. She's a good friend, Ginny, I suggest you keep her. And about Draco? His mother and I used to be good friends, until Lucius caught up with her. I'm hoping to reestablish connections, but I don't know if I can. There's a little bit of Slytherin in all of us, you know. Every time one of your brothers does something wrong, you tell them that. Fred and George haven't heard it as much, surprisingly, but Ron tells me you've become used to it. I suppose that's what you get for being a girl and a Weasley!_

_Love, _

_Mum

* * *

_

Ginny smiled as she folded the parchment and hid it in her robes. She knew she hadn't made a mistake when she had sent that letter! With a much more confident air about her, she took the letter from Fledge.

* * *

**WHAT!**

What George means to say is WHAT THE HELL!

**Gin? A Malfoy as a friend! Have you gone mad?**

Have we taught you nothing!

**Are you planning to prank him?**

Forget that, we need to know now, what are your Christmas plans? Mum said you weren't coming to the Burrow; please don't say you're spending it in Malfoy Manor!

**You could DIE!**

YOU COULD!

**But she won't. Because we're coming to follow you, Gin, and we'll stalk you all the rest of your life. We leave you for two or three measly years and you've already managed to screw with a hundred year old feud!**

Isn't she precious?

**FRED!**

Oh. Right. Bad, bad Ginbug!

**Much better.**

So watch out for us Gin. Be very, very careful, and don't turn around!

**And whatever you do, DON'T KISS HIM! We still aren't sure if Malfoy venom is more similar to a Basilisk's or just an adder's.**

Right, so we're waiting for a reply. Reassure us that you're alive. Love much, Fred.

**And Jorge. Which sounds much better than George, or at least Angelina thinks so—**

SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND!

* * *

And the rest of the paper was charred, so Ginny supposed Fledge must have made a run for it while he could. She quickly ripped off a piece from the top and, producing a quill from her robes scribbled two words: TOO LATE! Fledge took it and flew off. Whistling merrily, Ginny took the last letter in her hands.

_**Konnichi'wa, Ginny-chan! **_

_**Atsashi would like to say Arigatou for the Von Bondies CD you sent her. She says C'mon C'mon has gotten her brothers rabid! Nori is driving everyone crazy with his Quidditch practices, and he says that if I write anything like that again he'll snap my—wand in half. So vulgar! You will never believe this, but Reiko is going out with Yosuke! Kenichi's going on vacation to Okinawa, I'm sure he'll find someone there. We've got no more matches for the next two months or so, and that leaves me, Yuki and Nori with nothing to do. **_

_**Atsashi has been wanting to see Seamus again (ONEGAI, TELL ME HE'S DIED) and we have a nice flat in London. So we were wondering, would you like to spend a weekend with us over Christmas break? Your Headmaster informed us that he was making the holidays longer this year, you're not getting back till Jan. 8th. Chigau! We used to have Christmas and New Year's off, that was it! **_

_**So I bet you you sent Kaori back without giving her a reply, but don't worry, you can answer anytime. Bring some friends, guys ok? Atsashi and Reiko have started staying at my house, and I'm about to go kureejii! (That's crazy, by the way) Ok, so Stupid Saado wants us to practice now. I'm writing this at the pitch. WRITE SOON ONEGAI! Yoshihiro Suzuki

* * *

**_

Another smile lit Ginny's face, and she suddenly knew exactly what she was doing for the Christmas holidays. All she needed to do was write a few letters and talk to Harry…Gwinn would be delighted. She looked up into the trees and saw her Elemental smiling back.

"Stupid mind link!" She called up, just as something fell onto her face. It was followed by several more somethings, and she laughed in surprise as she realized it was snow.

Visitors coming from Hogsmeade that day were rewarded with the sight of one Ginny Weasley dancing in the newly layered snow as though she had never lived before.

* * *

When Blaise walked in, he fully expected to see Draco sulking. Instead, he saw the Slytherin curled up in his window-seat, looking at something from the window.

"How was your day?" Blaise said curtly; he had nearly broken his arms with all the gifts he'd dragged over. Damn Draco and his common sense; the boy always bought his presents in the summer.

But all bad thoughts were forgotten as Draco turned to him, a genuine smile on his face. "Guess what, Blaise?"

The black-haired boy could only say a word, shocked as he was. "What?"

Draco turned back to the window, and his smile grew even wider. "Today, I kissed an angel."

* * *


	21. New Pets and Prezzies!

**This chapter is dedicate to ArcherofDarkness and Callie and Nickitjuh, for finding those most awesomely raddest Mooney Suzuki songs, and also to heartdamoose. Well...here's your moose! To My-Chemical-Romance fan: **well, my mother and father say I'm an evil child, my friends say I'm psychotic, but they don't complain when I come up with these pranks. The only time they ever _did_ complain was when we climbed over a fence and they ripped their shirts, but I let them use most of the spray-paint so they were fine with it. On a lighter note, Mrs. Jaworski's house looks much better painted a cheery lime green and pink! (Although she doesn't think so but it's better than thge drab gray it was before).  


Am very depressed. One of my birdies flew away, and we can't find him. So now it's M Meilin and Michael. Poor Lightning. He's gone… On the plus side, I am holding Albus Dumbledore Lapin-Black in my hands. Yep, the new bun-bun babes are named. Harry James Potter Lapin-Black (we kind of couldn't let that one go) Bellatrix Lapin-Black (because her first name is just that cool) Albus Dumbledore Lapin-Black (in memoriam) Necille Lapin-Black, Voldemort Lapin-Black (don't ask) Liyana Lapin-Black, Lilly Lapin-Black (the double-l is intentional), and lastly, Ginevra Hermione Veronica (Ron for short) Molly Lapin-Black. Because she was the firstborn and we were excited.) But guess what!

**MY BIRTHDAY IS IN TWO DAYS!**

I am filled with bubbliness and what have you. This also means I must prepare for another party, which I have decided to title Kum Too Mye Kingdum, as it is a costume party and is very gothic and such. Because I am writing this instead of finding my costume, no review replies, as I still have to call and invite people. Curse me and my procrastinating habits…

Disclaimer: No, don't own it, but I wrote it!

* * *

**new pets and prezzies!**

**issalee

* * *

**"Here! Is this yours?"

"Praia! I'm sorry, but I CANNOT find your stupid socks!"

"You didn't think they were stupid when you borrowed them, Tessa!"

"Oi, Morgan, I need those mittens back else Mum'll kill me!"

"Sorry, Gin, but I lost those ages ago!"

"What? Fine…just give me my shoes, the loafers. I have to scuff them so Mum thinks I wore them."

"What? I gave those to Praia…"

"You did not! Sicily has them, Sicily David from Ravenclaw!"

"And what in the name of grass has happened to my Von Bondies CD!"

"…Tessa."

"…Tessa."

"…Sorry?"

Such was the state of chaos in the Gryffindor sixth year's dorm room the day the train was to leave for Christmas holidays. In fact, the train was leaving in thirty minutes…but these sixth years were notoriously lazy.

Ginny slapped down another bundle of clothes into her trunk, exasperated. "What do you mean, sorry? I want my Von Bondies CD! One of the most decent bands the Muggles can come up with—"

Praia, who was trying to spell all her clothing into her trunk interrupted. "Actually, they're all Squibs." Morgan started laughing as a shoe smacked Praia in the head, causing her to fall over the bed and onto the other side.

Tessa spread her arms wide. "I'm sorry, Gin, but I lent it to Hermione for her Muggle Studies project, and I sort of forgot to get it back."

"…What?" Ginny hadn't heard her. She was wriggling underneath the bed in search of new artifacts, and emerged triumphantly with a pair of loafers in one hand and a wriggling, dirty pack of Ice Mice in the other.

"Shouldn't those have melted?" Praia asked, frowning.

Ginny let the Mice go and shrugged. "How am I supposed to know? Come on, we have ten minutes to get out of here, and it's another ten minutes to the train station." She slammed her trunk shut happily.

"Not if we fly!" Tessa said, as she also shut her trunk. "We shrink these and strap them into our bags." Ginny sighed and flopped onto the bed.

"As much as I would like to, I don't think my broom will stand the weight, even though it's swollen. I'm taking loads of stuff home; I'm planning on changing my whole wardrobe when I get back."

"Really?" said Morgan. "To what?"

"I'm mourning the death of our generation. I mean, the good side of it. The Hufflepuffs and such have been totally forgotten, so…on with the black clothing."

They all cast her weird looks until she pulled a face. "I was joking! Although I am wearing much darker clothing from now on. Neons do not suit me."

As Praia and Morgan breathed a sigh of relief, Hermione walked in, holding a slim case between her fingers. "Your CD?" She said to Ginny. The redhead nodded curtly.

"And here I was thinking it would be 'Let's Get Fucked Up and Die' the whole way there." Hermione looked shocked, to say the least. To say the most, she almost wet herself.

"W—what?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "A song, Herm, it's a song. By a Muggle band called Motion City Soundtrack, and _yes_, Praia, I am aware that all but one of them are Wizards and that the last knows all about it. I'm not that daft."

Praia shrugged as she levitated her trunk to follow her. "Sorry, Gin, I was just saying about the Squibs. Not many people know." Morgan followed, waving a hearty good-bye as she went out the door.

"Well," Ginny said, rubbing her hands together. "It's to the Burrow for us, Herm, and from there to Harry's flat. Where, of course, Tessa and her PIG will be joining us."

"Tessa—has swine?" Hermione asked, looking confused. The dark-haired girl in question smacked Ginny over the head as she shrank her trunk and stuck it into her pocket. "No, Hermione, that's her new acronym for Blaise. Partner In Snog, you see."

Wondering vaguely if she had brain damage, Ginny followed, with Hermione close at her heels.

* * *

Close to two hours later, Ginny was sitting on the kitchen stool in the Burrow's kitchen, sniffing the air with a very greedy look on her face as her mum cooked cookies. 

"…And Ginny, don't you start teasing your brothers once they get here! I need them to be a good mood this Christmas."

"Yes Mum." Ginny said, eyeing the cookies.

Her mother ignored her and removed some of the cookies from the oven, placing them on the cooling rack as she removed her gloves. Ginny reached out a hand but snatched it back as her mother turned to grab some sugar from off the counter.

As soon as she turned, Ginny quietly crept over to the cooling rack as her mother rummaged in a cupboard. Smiling wickedly, she aimed for a cookie.

"—And young lady, if I see one of those cookies gone when I look again, you'll wish you'd never heard of chocolate chip cookies again."

"FINE THEN!" Ginny threw her arms in the air and stomped out, pushing past her brother and Harry as she did so. Ron cast his mother a crestfallen look.

"This isn't going to be like summer, is it?"

Mrs. Weasley laughed at him.

"I AM NOT CRAZY, RONALD, I AM MERELY CRAVING CHOCOLATE WHICH MEANS YOU'VE JUST LOST THE CHOCOLATE UNDER YOUR BED!"

Ron looked very ashen at that, and Harry patted his back. "Don't worry, mate. It's just a few more days, and then no more of that! She'll be with the Japanese Quidditch team then!"

"But not all of them!" Ron buried his head in his hands. "They'll mostly be boys! Boys, Harry!" The raven-haired boy was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Yes, but Tessa and Seamus will be there, they'll keep an eye on her. And Blaise will be kept in line!"

"What about Malfoy?" Ron hissed, and Harry clapped a hand over his mouth. He glanced about before leaning closer and whispering to his best friend.

"Gin doesn't know anything about that yet; I don't think even Malfoy knows! But you _know_ they had an argument, Ron, and that when they were friends she basically left you alone!" Harry was thankful that they hadn't told Ron what exactly the whole argument had _been _about.

All they'd said was that unless he wanted to be a Barbie Doll for most of his teenaged life, then he'd better up and help them. So the gist and nub of it all was that Draco Malfoy had been invited by one Blaise Zabini to tag along for the holidays; in short, where Blaise went, Draco went.

Ron narrowed his eyes as Harry removed his hand. "I'm not doing this to get away from her, Harry. I'm doing it _for_ her." Without another word, he stood and stalked swiftly out of the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley glanced up from where she was kneading dough. "Harry, darling, understand that he's very protective of his sister."

Harry colored. "You heard that, Mrs. Weasley? And you aren't mad?"

She laughed. "Mad? How could I be? This is for Ginny's sake, and it's all been going right so far, so who am I to interfere? Besides, I heard nothing of what you were saying." And she went back to her cooking, a small smile playing around her lips.

Harry stared at her for a moment before a loud knock interrupted his thoughts. He turned and, with one last look at Mrs. Weasley, he walked to the front door and opened it.

"Hello, Harry!"

"Nice to see you!"

"You look sick!"

"No, Gred, he looks fine."

"Oh, right, we don't say that till after he's tried the candies. Right, Harry, you look marvelous."

"Not for long," Harry muttered, then he held out a hand. "Fred, George, it's great to see you!" The twins shook his hand before bounding in happily.

"Mum! Great to see you!" One of them exclaimed from the kitchen. The other went upstairs and opened a door. There was a sudden, loud shriek and Fred/George's voice could be heard quite clearly, saying, "Sorry, Ginny, I didn't know this was your room! We've been gone long, don't ya know."

Harry grinned, shaking his head as he went to find Ron.

* * *

Ginny scrambled over the bed and attempted to pull her shirt over her head from a lying down position as her brother laughed. 

"C'mon, Gin, it's not like it's nothing I've ever seen before!"

"Shut UP, you perverted freak!"

"Me, perverted?" He said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "I'm not the one who's dating Malfoy." Ginny finally managed to get the shirt on and she popped up, glaring angrily until she recognized what twin it was.

"George! I am not dating Malfoy."

"But you said you kissed him," George replied, the picture of sincerity. Ginny eyed him suspiciously as she made her way over to her now enlarged trunk.

"You got all that from 'Too Late'?"

"Be serious, Gin." George said. "Did you kiss him or not?"

Ginny pulled out a normal CD player (it would work, since the Burrow didn't have any wards preventing it like Hogwarts did) and slipped the headphones on. Ignoring her brother completely, she grabbed a CD from her dresser, clicked it in and went over to the window, which she opened.

It was snowing outside, so much that you could barely see three inches in front of your face. Ginny looked back at George. "Yeah, I did kiss him."

"Did you like it?"

That wasn't a question she had been expecting, but Ginny answered as best as she could. "Well…yeah." George nodded.

"We _were_ upset when we heard it was Malfoy, Gin, and Bill and Charlie sent us letters saying you'd told them Malfoy was your friend too. When Bill said we'd better expect an engagement by fall, we sort of cracked."

"He said what!"

George continued as though he hadn't heard her. "We were fully expecting to stalk you, but then at Hogsmeade last, Hermione wandered in with Harry, and the Zabinis and Colin and Tessa. They started talking about you and we sort of listened."

"_Bill_ said what!"

"And then Tessa said a few things about some helpful severing spells, so we almost didn't listen just out of spite, but we heard everything they said, Gin. And they had other people come in and tell us about how you and Malfoy were acting after your fight…"

Somewhere in her mind, Ginny was starting to wonder if everyone knew about the argument by now, but the only thing that escaped her lips was "Bill said _what_!"

George smiled at her, in what could only be described as a mushy elderly sibling I-Know-What-You're-Going-Through-And-I'm-Sure-I-Can-Make-It-Better way, and she struggled not to gag.

"We want to talk to Malfoy, but we'll wait till Bill's wedding. He also said you'd probably be bringing Malfoy as—as—as a date." He said, with obvious difficulty. "So we're seeing him too, if you two haven't split up by then." The end sounded very hopeful, but Ginny wasn't paying attention.

"George…do you know if Charlie would be willing to lend me a Hungarian Horntail's spikes for a day? Just…you know…for something."

Her brother chuckled. "Ok, Gin, you stay here and sulk. I on the other hand, am going to go write Bill a letter warning him not to accept any unmarked messages from now on."

Ginny watched him go, glowering until he was sure she was gone. In a split second, she had unearthed the thing she'd hidden quickly when George had been walking in; her brother's owl, Pigwidgeon. He was sleeping soundly, and Ginny was starting to wonder if maybe she shouldn't have slipped so much of the Sleeping Draught into his food. But she shrugged it off quickly and took a roll of parchment from her bag, using a book as a table.

She also took the liberty of turning her headphones up, so that if anyone wandered in all they would hear was the sound of music that seemed, terribly, terribly loud, as Harry did. The conversation they had went something like this:

"Ginny?"

"_TELL ME THAT YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"_

"Ginny, your mum wants to know if you want dinner. Ginny? Ginny!"

"_YEAH EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT!"_

"GINNY! YOU CANNOT STARVE YOURSELF!"

"_OH PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"_

"GINNY! I AM LEAVING NOW!"

"…I'm sorry, Harry did you say something? The song ended just now…was it terribly important?"

"…Bye, Gin."

The redhead watched him go, unfazed. For some reason, people seemed to like to stand in her room until she noticed them, and then leave with odd looks on their faces. But Ginny didn't have time for that. No! She was a girl on a mission.

"Oi, Pig, wake up." She cuffed the small owl around his head until it woke up, twittering happily and nibbling at her fingers. She struggled to tie the parchment around his leg, wondering if maybe she had done this while he was sleeping, it would have been easier. When she had finally managed to strap on the roll of parchment, she sighed happily and kneeled back on her haunches.

Pig fluttered upwards, as though he were going to leave but Ginny drew him back down. "Merlin, I know you're cute but if this goes on I'll have to kill you." She said the words as she dug into her sweatshirt's pocket (she had an obsession for sweatshirts) and pulled out a small, velvet box, big enough to hold a ring.

(A/N: Ooh, proposal…even though Draco should really be doing it, but (shrugs))

"Now, Pigwidgeon," Ginny said, trying to sound as stern as possible (which wasn't easy at all when an owl roughly larger than a Snitch was trying desperately to barrel into your face). "Pigwidgeon, take that box to Malfoy Manor. I _know _you know where it is, my brothers must have sent you there enough times with some pranks. After which, you can take the letter to Tessa."

She let go of him, tripping over in the process as the owl did indeed zoom past her and flew out of the window, hooting happily all the way. As Ginny sat back up, checking to make sure she hadn't crushed her headphones, a large smile made its way over her face.

"Crazy Ginny is back and absobloodylutely ready for anything!" She got up and ran to the window, leaning her head out of it as she laughed, her CD player already blaring in her ears.

"_I'm on fire, and now I think I'm ready, to bust a move, checkitout I'm rockin' steady to the beat in my head that goes oh-oh-ooh-oh I know that she's the only one, I'd rather waste our time together yeah, cuz we can get down!"_

Ginny's laughing fit started out slow, but soon it progressed to an uncontrollable fit. She hadn't felt happier since that day on the beach, in Italy.

Of course, this feeling ended as soon as Fred's snowball found its mark.

* * *

Christmas Day dawned bright and early for Ginny, around five in the morning. 

She woke up feeling strangely heavy, and as she struggled to turn over, something bit her sharply. With a muffled 'ow!' she sat up and glared at the offending creature.

"Nice way to say Merry Christmas!" Gwinn said, giving her the evil eye. "Come on, I haven't been able to sleep for ages, let's go make these others go crazy."

"Christmas?" Ginny yawned and slipped out of her bed. Gwinn fluttered in the air for a moment before landing on her arm. "Geez, Gwinn, it's no use trying to wake up my family now, didn't you know?"

But smiling good-naturedly, Ginny made her way down the stairs. She stumbled a little groggily through the kitchen, and was about to go into the small living room when a movement just outside of the kitchen windows caught her eye. Steeping lightly, she made her way over to the kitchen door's window, and peered outside.

Everything was absolutely _covered_ in snow. The beautiful wheelbarrow she had painted with all sorts of flowers and animals and magical creatures when she was seven was leaning against the shed, with a huge mound of snow on top of it. The yard was untouched, sprinkled with a white blanket that took her breath away. Feeling slightly awed by it all, Ginny opened the door for a better look.

A blast of icy air blew into her face, but she didn't immediately notice. Her gaze was drawn to a movement near the fringe of the trees dotting her backyard. Heart pounding, Ginny leaned out and called, "Who's there?"

A bird fluttered out from the branches, twittering angrily at her before flapping away. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief and left the door, letting it swing shut behind her. Or so she thought.

When she entered the living room, her breath was blown away once more. Mounds of Christmas gifts were piled high, under the tree, hanging from the branches, on the windowsill and seating areas; it looked like every single person who had ever missed a Christmas or felt sorry for the war they had to go through had sent them something.

Ginny leapt onto the couch, grabbed Gwinn's arms and began to swing him around (he vowed to kill her). "IT'S CHRISTMAS!" she shrieked. Several thumps upstairs assured her that she had woken up several people, and as Gwinn snaked his way to her wrist and became a bracelet once more, Fred came bouncing down the stairs, followed shortly by George.

They suffered the same reaction Ginny had (as did everyone else who came down) but soon dove into the pile as if they were five again. Ginny grinned as the rest of her family and Harry tumbled down, yawning and stopping just short of the doorway.

"Oi, Gin, open this!" Fred tossed her a brightly wrapped present, and she glared at him suspiciously before unwrapping it. Inside, a cloak of beautiful, dark material that shimmered slightly was folded. Ginny fell to her knees, captivated as she was.

"What is it?"

George grinned. "Nice cloak for you to be warm in the winter for." He and his brother dove under the piles of wrapping. George popped up. "Mum, look at what I've got!" and went down again, only to appear on the other side. "And me, Mum, me!"

Ginny started as Fred appeared next to her, eyes shining. "It's like an invisibility cloak, only different because it works at night only. We've just invented it, you'll blend into the shadows well and be able to see through other cloaks!"

Ginny started to thank him but he was gone, making sure George didn't have to keep up the act any longer than necessary. Feeling lightheaded, Ginny tore into the rest of her presents.

Tessa had sent her an outfit she swore she had a match of, a white pleated skirt with a matching shirt that showed off just enough bosom to still be called modest that came with white knee-high boots that could have been called combat boots but were too slim and had heels. A flowing, velvet blue cape also came with it, and Ginny was immediately enamored with the whole thing. After fishing a little farther into the box, she found a pair of dark blue fingerless gloves.

Colin had sent along something she was sure she would treasure for the rest of her life; a beautiful, twelve-inch quill with a phoenix feather attached to the end of it. When she wrote on a piece of paper with it, the ink would flash either red or green according to her attentions. Red when she wanted a certain person to read it (and then only that person could read it) and green when she wanted the words to be spoken aloud by a flat sounding, disembodied voice. She loved it.

Praia sent several slabs of Honeydukes milk chocolate bars, which Ginny was sure wouldn't last past January. Morgan had given her a book, _Hex Your Ex_. Ginny decided she'd thumb through it when she was done with the presents.

Hermione gave her a beautiful scarf that changed to whatever color and form she wanted it to. As of now she was wearing it around her neck, and it was white and made of thin, gauzy material. Harry gave her a new set of Quidditch padding, which she had needed for ages now. Ron had grudgingly handed over her present, a heavy tome filled with Defense spells that he'd found from searching a bookstore for a gift for Hermione. He forgot all about his anger, however, when Ginny rushed to hug him and told him he was the best brother ever. Then he just blushed.

Bill had sent a beanie with cat ears attached to the top that she was sure wasn't an appropriate present until she spied the tail and the whiskers. They could be attached to her body and make for a most appropriate disguise. He included in her letter that whatever outfit she was wearing would change too, and that she'd best not try it out in front of Mum and Dad. Ginny forgave him for his comments, then.

Charlie mailed a small, lithe purple wand that when waved over a body part with the picture in mind, it would spray a temporary tattoo. If waved over the hair, she could streak it with whatever color she wanted, although it left after the first wash.

Her Mum had forgone the sweater this year and given her a white sweatshirt with a pattern of green ivy and roses on it. Her Dad had given her a book filled with potions she had never heard of before. Her father only shrugged when she asked where he got it from, but she could have sworn he winked as well.

Blaise had sent a rather sullen letter explaining that, despite Carina's accusations she was not his girlfriend and he was not cheating on Tessa with Ginny. Attached to the letter was a pass to a popular spa, Mystics Of E, which she could go to any time she wanted, for however long to get whatever. And she could bring up to two friends.

Several distant family members had given her money or stuffed animals, which made her suspect they had no idea how old she was. Members of the Order, such as Tonks, had sent her little gifts that were anything Muggle, which they knew she liked as much as her father. Tonks had sent her a pack of things they called 'videos', and which Harry had promised to show her at his flat.

Thinking that that was the end of the present giving, Ginny wandered to the kitchen for a quick chance at breakfast when suddenly, something barreled through the kitchen door. Thinking quickly, Ginny jumped behind the counter just as a brown and shaggy creature rushed by her.

She heard screams from the living room and several crashes. Ron suddenly rushed into the kitchen, white as a ghost as he clung to his sister.

"Ginny, we're gonna die!"

As the redheaded girl tried to see over her brother's own red head, she patted him anxiously. "Think positive, Ronald."

"We're gonna die quickly?"

Ginny pushed him off and made her way into the living room to see what it was that was causing so much chaos, and she came face-to-face with a pair of chocolate brown eyes. Her own ocher eyes widened as a silence developed over the room.

"It's a moose!" she breathed. And indeed it was. From the great, shaggy fur covering its knobby knees and the magnificent antlers, there was no mistaking it. Ginny reached up a tentative hand and stroked its neck. The moose bellowed quietly and leaned into her hold.

"It must have come in because it was so cold outside." Mr. Weasley appeared, clutching his wand in his hand. "And it smelled some of our food. Who left the kitchen door open?"

Ginny suddenly became very interested in the moose's mane.

"Can we keep it?" Fred said, eyeing the beast with barely concealed glee. His brother was already coming up with a mental list of moose related products.

"Don't these things only stay around in places like Canada?" Hermione said.

Harry shrugged. "Maybe it was in a zoo. Who knows?"

"Well, we can't keep it." Mrs. Weasley said crossly as she magicked everything back into place. "It'll only mess the place up more."

"Oh, but Mum!" Ginny peeked out from where she had buried her face into the fur. "What if we keep it outside? Fred and George would have no protests about building it a home! And I swear I'll take seventy billions jobs and send home money to feed it!"

The twins glared at her but when Mrs. Weasley turned to face them, they were the very pictures of innocence. Sighing, their mother ran a hand through her hair. "Fine, fine. But it must stay outside!" the rest of her directions were drowned out as her children whooped and threw their arms about her.

* * *

Three hours later, Ginny was sitting on top of the moose as she watched her brothers tack up the last few boards onto a very large, house-shaped building. Inside, there was loads and loads of hay as well as a small fireplace covered by an iron grille. Ginny had insisted upon it, and seeing as Ginny was Queen Of Everydamnthing, she got it. 

Ginny leaned down and stroked the moose's mane. "What am I going to call you?" she murmured. Hermione surprised her as the elder witch clambered onto the back of the moose. It was too gentle-hearted to do anything to anyone, anyways.

In her hands, she carried (you guessed it) a thick book. "I've got a book of names here, Ginny. Let's get to work."

Ginny had to stifle a smile as she turned a few pages. Hermione was ready for anything, and sometimes, it wasn't so bad.

"Is it a girl?" Hermione asked. When Ginny nodded, she flipped back a few pages. "How about 'Calantha'? It means most beautiful."

The two of them looked at the moose. She stared back, blinking steadily. "No," Ginny said. "Definitely not Calantha. How about 'Farrah'?" She snorted. "It means either beautiful one or wild ass. What an oxymoron."

When their giggles subsided, Hermione skimmed the list once more. "Dena? It means vindicated, or valley."

"Like the song?" Ginny said absently. When Hermione looked at her oddly, Ginny rolled her eyes. "For a Muggleborn, Herm, you sure don't do a lot of things Muggle."

Hermione blushed. "Well, you can't blame me for finding the Wizarding World to be much more exciting than the normal Muggle one." She randomly picked a name off the list. "Dakota. Native American name for friend and a state in the United States."

The moose suddenly shimmied to the side, and Ginny giggled. "I think she likes it. Dakota it is, then?"

Dakota fell to her side and rolled over, leaving the two girls buried in snow as she pranced into her new home, head held high. Fred and George leaned over the girls.

"Well—,"

"—It looks like you did a good job."

"Yeah, right. She seems pretty happy, though—,"

"—Or as happy as a moose can get."

"So get on with it!"

Ginny sputtered indignantly, even more so when something landed on her face. With a shriek she pried it off, and found herself staring into an owl's face. It hooted at her, and she sat up.

"Oh. Psyche!" she said, cuddling the owl closer. "I haven't seen you in ages. D'you wanna treat?" She held out the strawberry she had nicked from the kitchen before, and watched as the owl gobbled it down.

"Isn't that Malfoy's owl?" Fred said suddenly.

"And she has a gift!" George added, abruptly ashen.

Ginny reached a hand down and gently eased the parcel from Psyche's claws. "So it is. I wonder what he sent me?" She opened the simply wrapped parcel with great care, and when she opened it, her eyes went as wide as saucers.

(A/N: I originally was going to end it here, but then I thought, nah, this was gonna be a long chapter anyways.)

Nestled snugly in the package was a large wicker basket. Inside of the basket was a small, downy-feather owl with ears like a cat and white, white feathers. The edges of its wings and tails and some of its body were speckled in the lightest, powdery blue.

"Oh my." Hermione looked as though she were going to faint from excitement. "That's a Rab Owl. They're very rare, and only Wizards can see them, much less use them! They're fast, dangerous when threatened, and fiercely loyal to their owners. Gin, this owl hasn't been seen for centuries!"

Ginny took the card that was next to the little thing. It let out a hoot and nipped gently at her fingers. The card read:

* * *

_**To Fireball/Red/Ginevra/Ginny,**_

_**Whatever you want to be called, it's a bit confusing these days.**_

_**This is a Rab Owl (I don't doubt Granger's behind you now, shrieking over it) and it's very rare and so on. Seeing as you don't have an owl, I thought it only fair that you get her. Yes, it's a girl. She'll bond to you, though, if you're the first person to pick her up. She was born in that basket, and she spent the first two months of her life in it. She'll be able to fly as soon as she's bonded, so you'd better pick her up soon. **_

_**And…I'm sorry about the whole argument, ok?**_

_**Much apologies,**_

_**The Bad Ferret

* * *

**_

Ginny shook her head, smiling wryly. "He has a way with words."

Hermione looked at the little owl in awe, obviously wanting to touch it. "What're you going to call it, Ginny?"

The redhead felt about for the book of names, and when she found it she flipped through it for a moment. Then she put it down, and with a somber voice said, "Hideyuki sent me a letter with a name in it, once. I really liked it then, and I still do now."

She reached into the basket, and picked up the Rab Owl. It fluttered for a moment, and they locked eyes. A soft breeze blew up around them, and literal sparks emanated from the owl's tiny body as she spread her wings.

"Your name is Sorano. It means 'of the sky', and I hope you carry it well." She lifted her arms, and the newly christened Sorano flew up into the air, spreading her wings and releasing a shrill cry.

"You know," Fred whispered to George and Hermione. "Maybe Malfoy could help. I mean, the guy can give gifts, and have you ever seen Gin so forgiving?"

George nodded. "Maybe he could give us a few pointers. For the future, just in case, you know?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, but the large smile stayed on her face.

* * *

Is it good? Bad? Oh-My-God-Kill-Me bad? Guess what! D/G action in the next chapter! 


	22. A Visit From A Dragon

Disclaimer: Don't do that. I almost had a heart attack when you popped out…no, I don't own it.

* * *

**a visit from a dragon**

**issalee **_

* * *

The girl approached the man slowly, taking care not to make her steps loud as she walked towards her boyfriend, who was lying on the floor between them. A sudden presence invaded her very thoughts, and she looked up, eyes gleaming in horror as something descended down the stairs…_

"OH MY EFFING LORD!"

Ginny smacked her dark-haired friend over the head. "Tessa, shut up! You screwed up the good part!"

They were in the living room of Harry's Über-posh London apartment, watching The Grudge, which was one of the tapes Tonks had sent Ginny. Tessa was snuggled into the armchair with Luna sitting just below her, nodding absently to sleep.

Hermione was reading something in a corner while Ron and Harry played Wizard's Chess. They were waiting for Blaise to arrive. Ginny hung upside down from a chair directly in front of the TV, rewinding it so she could see the girl climb down the stairs again.

(A/N: I AM WRITING THIS AT 5:26 AM, AND I HAVE NOT SLEPT ALL NIGHT. I will never so much look at The Grudge again.)

"You have a sick sense of humor." Tessa admonished.

"Yeah, I've heard it before." Ginny reached down to take a handful of the popcorn in front of her. From out of her hair popped Sorano, hooting sadly. Ginny dropped a kernel next to the owl and Sorano attacked it voraciously.

"You coddle the owl." Hermione said, without looking up from her book.

Ginny nattily avoided the comment. "Herm, come and watch the Texas Chainsaw Massacre with us. Even Ron and Harry are going to watch with us!"

Hermione kept her head stubbornly bent. "No."

* * *

An hour later, they were all gathered in front of the television, huddled together and clinging to each other. It had started storming outside, sleeting hard. Ginny was hugging Tessa and alternately putting popcorn in her mouth as Sorano made a nest in her hair. Ron had an arm wrapped around Hermione's waist as she watched with rapt attention, her mouth in a small 'o'. Luna was sleeping in Harry's lap. 

"No, you stupid girl, don't go there!" Ginny threw a handful of popcorn at the television and giggled like a maniac.

"No more butterbeer, Gin." Harry said absently. All of them were fixated on the set as the girl peeked out of a peephole, gasping in horror as she realized the room was empty. And then, suddenly, the man's eyes appeared and there was the buzz of a chainsaw. Ginny screeched and threw the popcorn bowl into the air as something plastered itself against the window and the doorbell rang.

Suddenly everything was in chaos as everyone scrambled to get out of the way. Sorano took to the air, looking like a monster in the room and then—

The power cut off.

* * *

Blaise looked over at Draco as he kept pressing the doorbell insistently. "I'm sure this is where Potter is, Draco, don't give me that look!" 

"I'm freezing," the blond muttered, "and wet too."

A sudden crashing noise followed by several high-pitched screams startled them. Blaise looked at the door in alarm. "Do you think they're ok?"

Draco had an ear pressed to the door, amusement evident on his face. "Is that Weasley screeching like some girl?"

The door opened suddenly, and Draco was forced to stagger back in a very un-Malfoy-ish way. Harry stood in the doorway, wand pointed at them both until he realized who they were.

"God, Zabini, Malfoy, you scared the hell out of us." He ran a hand through his hair.

"We can see that." Draco was obviously trying very hard not to laugh at Harry's shoddy appearance. "What were you doing, shagging Granger and attempting to hide it?"

Harry ignored the last few words. "We were watching a movie—it's a Muggle thing."

"We know, Potter. Know thine enemies is a very accepted statement in Slytherin house," Draco replied. "Can we come in?"

Harry shrugged. "Whatever. But be careful, Hermione's cleaning up the mess with Ron but the girls are in the bathroom washing soda out of their hair."

Draco opened his mouth to ask a question but he was shoved unceremoniously inside by Blaise, and forced to keep walking. It was still dark inside save for three wands propped onto the windowsill and palely lighting the way. The living room was a mess when they entered. Hermione was bickering with Ron as they magicked crumbs and stains away.

"Ronald! I told you to shut the blinds, but no, you wouldn't listen!"

"It wasn't my fault, Hermione! How was I supposed to know there was a tree right there that's leaves looked like a head!"

"You didn't, but that's beside the point!"

Hermione suddenly noticed their visitors and offered a tiny, strained smile. "Hello. As you can see, we're having a crisis here."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious," Ron muttered. Hermione shot him a dirty look, but both were effectively silence when shrieks came from the direction of the bathroom.

"What now?" Harry groaned.

He needn't have asked, though, as two dark shapes stumbled out from the hall. "Someone—changed the toothpaste—for hot sauce!" A voice they recognized as Tessa gasped out. Luna was right next to her, mouth pursed shut and looking red as a cherry.

"Oh, Gods, she's already started." Ron groaned.

And at that moment, Ginny Weasley in all her Prank Queen glory (she was wearing VERY baggy gray sweatpants and one of the many insulting T-shirts Luna had sent her. This one was powder blue with Happy Bunny™ proclaiming: "Really, the old people must go") entered the living room.

"What?" she said very innocently, eyes wide. From the top of her head Sorano looked out, her eyes matching her owner's. Then Ginny caught sight of Draco, and her eyes widened even further.

"Shut your mouth," Tessa whispered (she had sated her thirst with a can of Mountain Dew). Ginny did so obediently, and then, in one swift movement, she had turned and disappeared down the hall.

Draco turned to Blaise, eyes glittering maliciously. "You have things to explain and ten seconds to do it."

Blaise gulped and hoped God was willing to forgive him for all the times he had told those door-to-door Jehovah's Witnesses to sod the eff off.

* * *

Tessa found Ginny sitting in the extra room Harry had, which was where they were sleeping. She had somehow managed to fix the wiring in that room, and was sitting cross-legged on the floor, playing with the dark green box Harry had told them was an 'X-Box'. Ginny had caught on quite quickly, and now seemed to be absorbed in a game of Burnout 3. 

"Gin?" Tessa said as she walked in and sat down. "Gin, what's the matter?"

"Nothing." The redhead's jaw was clamped shut. Nothing at all. I'm just enjoying myself—look, twelve Takedowns in thirty seconds!"

"Ginny." Tessa said sternly. "You are very obviously upset, and you must tell me what exactly is wrong with you, else our friendship is _fini_."

"Don't say it French." Ginny exclaimed as she veered sharply on the screen. "Everything sounds so much more dramatic in French!"

The two giggled, before Tessa's face turned somber once more. "Really, though, what is it that's so bad?"

Ginny rammed against a car and toggled the controls before sighing. "He's here, and I wasn't ready for it. I mean, sure I sent the present and everything but it was only because of the bet!"

"And yet the very vulgar letter you sent me with all those curse words was a beautiful testimony to the fact that you were nervous."

"I used twenty-three variations on crap, the word arse sixteen times, damn forty-three, and several scratched-out words because I was afraid your Grandmum might see the letter, sixty-eight times. I counted."

"I can see that," Tessa said irritably. "But you have to forget that, Ginny. You've done it and now you're over with it. We've got things to do, tricks to play, and we have to make The-Boy-Who-Wouldn't-Die's last year at Hogwarts very special, remember?"

Ginny's time ran out, and as her score flashed across the screen she smiled lopsidedly. "I've got Chrimboli presents to use…"

"That's my girl!" Tessa cried, but Ginny held up a hand.

"But I've been through a lot, you know, and—"

Rolling her eyes, Tessa grabbed a pillow from a nearby sleeping bag and stuffed it on her friend's head. "Nobody cares what you've been through, and nobody cares how much you do, and nobody cares what kind of drugs you're on, I can't take anymore of this!"

Ginny started laughing uproariously at this, which was odd for someone who was being suffocated, but because it was muffled it sounded like she was gasping for breath. It was in this position that Harry, Blaise, Draco, Ron and Hermione (Luna was playing with Sorano in the hallway) saw them as they entered and froze in shock.

Ginny and Tessa looked over at them, and exploded into more apoplectic laughter. Ginny attempted to explain.

"Stomach—hurts—oh my—nobody cares—" And then she collapsed again. Tessa only had to look at her to start off again, and as Hermione looked back and forth the situation suddenly became clear to her. She smacked a hand to her forehead.

"My God, we weren't that bloody crazy when we were young, were we?"

Harry looked at her in amazement. "Hermione, was that foul language you just used?"

"Shut up and find a vacuum," she snapped at him. "I'm going down to see if I can fix the wiring." She took one last look at the laughing duo and shook her head. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."

The others trickled away gradually, with Blaise being the last to go. He lingered long enough to look at his breathless girlfriend, sigh, and walk away.

Ginny sat up, clutching her sides. "D'you think Ron cared?"

Tessa shook her head, still not bothering to get up. "I think he was a like a moth drawn to your flame; your hair, that is."

There was a moment of silence, and then Ginny spoke up again. "Do you think I did the right thing by sending him…it?"

Tessa rolled over onto her stomach and looked into her friend's eyes. "_Quel dommage. Je taime, _Ginny, but envy you and your stupidity? _Je ne pense pas_."

"And in good old Britannica that would mean?"

Tessa rolled her eyes. "I don't envy you your idiocy. I'm rather put off that although your relationship with Ferret-boy is mostly platonic, seeing as you both refuse to speak to each other, you gave him Gwendolyn before I could get rid of my other Elemental!"

Ginny's face turned somber. "But we won't bond. I did it only for the bet, and he probably threw it out anyways, or at least thought nothing of it. We won't be more than friends!"

"Quite your babbling!" Tessa held up a hand. "I get it, ok? I was just saying."

"But you were saying it in the language of _love_!"

"So?"

Ginny glomped her over the head with a pillow.

* * *

Draco was sitting on the couch when Ginny entered the living room early that morning, dressed in slacks and a sweatshirt. Ginny almost turned back around, but decided against it as she stumbled sleepily into the kitchen. 

The blonde Slytherin was watching some of the videos they'd left out last night, and he seemed to be impressed by them; every few moments there was a snort of irritation or amusement from the living room, and as Ginny lugged a tray with a sandwich and some ginger ale (Seagram's) into the room, he was sitting back down after having put in another tape.

"Muggles aren't all idiots." He commented lightly.

Ginny shrugged, letting the fizzy drink wake her up. The credits went by quickly, and it soon became apparent that this was one of the movies she hadn't watched yet. With thinly veiled interest, she became absorbed in it.

Draco glanced at the redhead next to him. She was wearing a sweatshirt with the words "I'm menopausal and I have a gun" blazing on it. He was sure that's what she had slept it, and didn't say a word about it.

Truth be told, this Slytherin was stumped.

His hand dipped down unconsciously, and he fingered the warm stone lying in the hollow of his neck, attached by a chain.

Ginny's Christmas present—to him.

He hadn't been expecting one; especially after the fight, but when she had sent it he remembered the bet. That brought a grimace to his face, but the present was enough to wipe it off quickly. She and Tessa always wore these around their wrists, and they never parted with it. He heard them discussing the bands sometimes, and he knew they were special.

This is why Draco Malfoy had an Elemental's temporary crystalline home around his neck.

Except he didn't know it yet.

But he liked the way the stone felt so warm, giving him an eerie sense of comfort.

Plus it was something that had belonged to Ginny, so that just blew the score past the roof.

Draco glanced at the redhead again, and suppressed a smirk as he realized that she was totally engrossed in the movie, and that the little Rab Owl he'd given her was peeping at him from the tousled mess of hair she had. It hooted balefully at him, and he chuckled.

"She's called Sorano," Ginny said, never once taking her eyes off the television. "I don't think she likes many people, but she adores me, Luna and obviously you seeing as she hasn't attacked you for stepping too close to me."

"Cute." Draco replied, smiling wryly. "I take it this was a nice gift, then?"

Ginny finally tore her eyes away from the set, but they only reflected amusement. "Only if the gift I gave you was nice."

"Touché." Draco smirked, lifting an eyebrow in the process. "And it was. I'm wearing it at the moment, although I suspect it must be more than just jewelry."

"It is." She said, turning away from him again and fishing Sorano out of her hair. "But exactly how it is, well that's a secret between friends, and although I might know and Tessa too, you don't."

She looked at him, lifting an eyebrow in a perfect imitation of him while Sorano nestled in her arms. "You didn't—get anything out of it, did you?"

He hesitated, and she waved a hand quickly, catching his reaction. "Just a question. Back to the telly now." Draco opened his mouth to speak and Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I know what you're going to say already, so you don't have to say it."

"No, you don't!" Draco protested. Then he paused. "What did you think I was going to say?" Ginny sighed, picked at Sorano's downy feathers, and then grinned.

"My sexiness astounds me."

"I wasn't going to say that!" Draco said, aghast.

"I know. But my sexiness _does_ astound me."

Draco stared a moment, obviously frustrated, before he laughed. "Ok, Weasley, I get it. I'm sorry for everything I said and did, and I'd like to know if you could please forgive me."

"So that…?"

"So that I may continue to worship your sexiness on a daily basis?"

Ginny rubbed at Sorano's head for a moment, eyes fixated on the screen before nodding shortly. "Apology accepted. For now. But you're on probation Malfoy." She turned to him and raised a threatening finger. "I forgive you too often, so if you make one more mistake, than it's bye-bye to our friendship, got that?"

Draco nodded and she, satisfied, leaned back into the couch. "This holiday, I got a moose for a pet. She's cute." Ginny took a drink of her ginger ale, peering cautiously from the corner of her eyes at Draco, who had also lifted his drink. "I think she looks just like you."

As he choked on his soda, she smiled inwardly and decided life wasn't as fun when Draco wasn't around.

* * *

Syah...told ya I'd update. Sorry for the wait, though...school, writer's block, and all that jazz. I actually don't like this chapter, but nyah... Do I sound really tired to you all? Cuz I am, I am...

**Mein Loverlies: loonysango, youngwriter56, jip91**(Hess yes! I thank you for the b-day wishes, although...its ages past the actual day, and this thanks is way overdue.) **Yochy, entrancer** (Yeah, I know it doesn't exactly mean that. But Sorano is an actual Japanese name, and loosely translated, that's what it means. I speak a little Jap. I didn't use a dictionary! (I swear...)) **Ainsley, Zenni, GoldenFawkes, Nickitjuh** (Eh, you gave it the day before but I didn't open the e-mail till my b-day. THANKS, though.)** OHLuver, Inu-Bladesinger, america sucks move to europe, sirius and harry luvr (and ron and draco), Askura, Criss, heartdamoose **(Glad you liked it. Told ya I'd have a moose, didn't I? I keep my promises. (Swells up)), **My Dream's Shadow, happydays, Draco and Ginny Forever** (Muchos thanks.) **erin, My-Chemical-Romance-Fan** (Agree with me, now, on this. Is not Mikey Way cuter than Gerard? With spiky hair, at least, like in I'm Not Ok. But Gerard kicks arse with his new highlights. BTW, I hope your sister's head won't get caught in the toilet if you try to give ehr a swirly again...like my cousin's did...)** Looney-Lovegood** (Dude! We're like, the samest age!) **HeirofSnake **(Damn right she has good taste in muzak.) **Strawbs** (Damn. Typing slip. Meant to say Partner in...er...it's been too long, now I can't remember! Excuse me while I shoot myself.) **Aly's PenName** (er...I suppose you're dead by now. Sorry!)

* * *


	23. Let's Give It Up To The New Year

Disclaimer: Cheese and rice. These things are killing me.

* * *

**let's give it up to the new year**

**issalee

* * *

**

_This must be it,  
Welcome to the new year.  
The drinks were consumed,  
The plants were destroyed and the hor'deurves dismantled.  
I'm not smiling behind this fake veneer.  
I am often interrupted or completely ignored,  
But most of all I'm bored.  
I'm trying to find out if my words have any meaning.  
Lackluster and full of contempts when it always ends the same.  
Why won't she listen to me?  
Why did I come?  
Oh why did I come here?  
These humans all suck;  
I'd rather be home feeling violent and lonely.  
I'm not trying to sound so insincere,  
But the postcard that's taped to the freezer reads, "Wish you were here."  
How I wish I could disappear?_

-Together We'll Ring In the New Year- Motion City Sountrack

* * *

Ginny eyed the blue-haired man next to her with obvious resentment, glaring fiercely as he picked up something from the platter in front of them and popped it into his mouth without blinking. 

On top of her head, Sorano hooted balefully, ruffling up with pride as she attempted to emulate her master's facial expression. On her wrist, Gwinn seemed to be writhing in either silent laughter or fury.

"Ah, she's only been here a day, Nori," Hideyuki Tanaka wiped at his glasses and then cuffed Yoshihiro. "This is all your fault?"

Hiro flinched. "How was I supposed to know he would think it was fun?"

From the general direction of the kitchen came Atsashi, who had managed to detach herself from Seamus long enough to come in and glower in the general direction of everyone in the room.

A bead of sweat fell down Ginny's cheek.

"Blowfish," said Tessa, attempting to be helpful, "are to be cooked with great care. Otherwise, they can have some of their poisonous properties still left in them, and then the consumer of said fish will instantly die a terrible and gruesome death."

"That," Hideyuki said irritably, "does not help the poor girl at all."

Hiro did nothing but glance back at the kitchen, and then Atsashi, before he merely growled and satisfied himself by throwing something at Noriyuki's head.

"Itai!" Nori shouted, pulling the plants off his head. No one noticed as Gwinn's head reared up and quickly became three-dimensional as he grabbed at the slice of blowfish Ginny was supposed to be eating. He contracted just as Nori turned around, and did a double take.

"Whoa! It looks like you've got some guts!" He grinned and held out a hand, which Ginny shook. "I mean, I cooked that fish myself, and I didn't think you'd actually eat it!"

He gave Ginny an odd look as she clasped her hand quickly, and her arm began to quiver.

"Um," she said brightly, "I've got to go."

"What's wrong?" Hiro said, looking worried. "If Stupid Saado did something wrong to you…!"

"No!" Ginny stood up and nodded. "Um…I've got…diarrhea!" They all gave her odd looks, and she smiled widely. "Er…of the mouth! Yes, and I must go—um, brush it out—gottagobye!" She sprinted from the room.

A moment later, Blaise and Draco entered, looking rather shell-shocked. "I think," Blaise ventured to speak first, "that I was nearly just bulldozed over by a fire truck."

"No," Tessa told him. "That was just the red hair. It was Ginny. She ate blowfish and got diarrhea of the mouth, so she had to go brush it out."

"Oh," the boys echoed.

Noriyuki clapped his hands together. "So! Who wants to be next?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Ginny sat in the bathroom, trying desperately to keep from laughing as Gwinn clambered out of the toilet bowl, soaking wet and covered in distinct bits and pieces of the fish he had just eaten.

"Ew," Ginny said.

"Draco," Gwinn said.

Both of them were quiet. "That," Ginny said, after a moment of thought, "was an unfair pun. And I don't appreciate it."

"I don't care," Gwinn said. Ginny frowned at him.

"What's got you in such a tizzy?"

"I _don't_ get into tizzies."

"But you're in one now."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Then you're an idiot."

"And you are a dragon."

"No, I'm _not_!"

"Yes, you _are_!"

"I _hate_ you!" Gwinn cried, folding his wings over his head. "Because you keep thinking that these mind games you're playing with that poor boy are fun, you don't even maybe care that I have to suffer as well!"

"You told me you hated Gwendolyn!" Ginny shot back. "You said you hated her!"

"You of all people," Gwinn said quietly, "should know that sometimes that's not really the case."

There was a moment of silence, and then Ginny held up an arm, flinging it towards the window, eyes smoldering. "Get out. And don't come back. Ever."

The Elemental regarded her, nothing but fury and maybe a little bit of regret in his eyes, before he spread his wings out and took a running leap into the air. He clipped Ginny's hair as he flew by, cutting a lock of it, before he took off through the open window in a rush of cold wind.

Ginny sat on the ground and stared at the window. Sorano carefully fluttered down to the ground, eyes wide and questioning, before she toddled into Ginny's lap. The redhead held the Rab owl close.

"He'll come back," she said calmly. "I'm bound to him, and besides, he wouldn't leave Gwendolyn behind. Or Aislinn, either."

* * *

But Gwinn didn't come back.

Over the days, as Ginny grew accustomed to sitting on the hard tatami mats for meals and laughing over the low table, she felt the lingering coolness on her wrist and huffed, a little angrily as she did so. She was a stubborn creature, and refused to admit she had been wrong.

So she went through more blowfish eating contests, learned how to handle chopsticks without flicking the food up her own nose, became adept in beginner's self-defense, managed to light a ceremonial dragon costume on fire, became obsessed with anime, and learned how to use Japanese slang and much, much curse words, without Gwinn around to insert sarcastic comment or uplifting statement—here.

Of course Aislinn knew, which meant Tessa did as well, but both refrained wisely from speaking about it. Ginny went on with life as normal, coddling Sorano, teasing Atsashi about Seamus, arguing heatedly with Nori, Yuki and Hiro over strategies, plotting with Tessa, and alternately ignoring and lavishing attention upon Draco.

* * *

"You're odd," he said one day, as they sat in the courtyard.

It had been charmed to have sakura blossoms blooming all year long, in an enclosed area that looked just as though they were outside, and felt like it as well. Ginny was wearing the kimono Atsashi had gifted her with, and she was currently trying to pry Sorano out of her obi.

"And you," she said, struggling with the owl, "are just upset about the fact that I told you you looked like my pet moose."

Draco frowned. "Too true. But that's not it. You've been acting weirdly since a few days ago. Tonight's New Year's Eve, and the last day we're spending here before we go our separate ways. What's eating at you?"

Ginny looked at him. "Do you know what my favorite food is?"

Draco had to admit he didn't.

"And what about my favorite color? And book? And movie? And what's my catchphrase? Flower? Favorite sibling? Parent? Older friend figure? Quidditch team?" She paused. "Well, second-favorite, since now it's a little obvious."

"No," Draco said, frown deepening. "I don't know what any of those are. What's the point of them?"

Ginny shook her head. "Absolutely nothing, that's what. Because I obviously don't know those answers for yourself, and you don't know me as well. Honestly, it's just as well, since it proves an amazingly difficult point I had to make."

She stood and stretched. "I've got to go. I'm meeting Atsashi, she's going to teach me how to make bento and then we're going to give Nori a makeover while he sleeps." She walked off, leaving Draco feeling more than a little befuddled.

When Tessa moved out of the shade of the tree she had been stalking—nay, _casually observing_—them from, he glanced up at her with the same puzzled expression.

"Um," she said, thinking for a moment. "Cheesecake, purple, _Fire In My Pants of Passion_ series, _Trolling_, 'Let us make haste and make merry—love, that is', daffodils, trick question, trick question, Hermione, and Australia."

Draco, at a loss, mumbled the first thing that came to mind. "Daffodils?"

Tessa nodded. "She thinks they're amazingly plain and loves them for it. She doesn't understand why no one else does."

Draco flopped back into the stone bench he was sitting on, looking dazed now. Tessa shot him a pitying look. "Yes, she makes us all feel like that on some days."

"Shut up."

* * *

Blaise was lounging around in the front room pretending he knew how to use the remote control when Tessa came in. She flipped over the remote and turned the TV on, then slipped into his lap. The Italian wizard smiled gratefully at her.

"Thanks, I wasn't really sure—"

"No problem," Tessa interrupted him. "Really. I have a question to ask you, though."

"Ask away, Milady."

"Is it stupid when people fall in love and can't realize it?"

Blaise looked at her, and then grinned. "We have two of the densest, most stubborn people in the Wizarding World as our best friends. What do you think that means, then?"

"We should kill them?" Tessa said subtly, arching a dark eyebrow. She held up her glossy black curls on either side of her head and cackled evilly. "And I shall smite them with my mighty smiting powers of—smitedommy doomy doom doom."

"I think you are the craziest person I've ever met," Blaise said, as though this was new to him. Tessa slapped him on the chest.

"But seriously, Blaise, what do you think? They're driving me crazy, and this summer Ginny was supposed to come and stay with me at Grandmamma's but there's no way I'll spend it with her while she mopes. And Grandmamma was going to let us leave early so we could visit Mum's side of the family as well. Ginny would love the experience, Muggles and more Muggles galore."

"What?" Blaise attempted to hide a perplexed look, and failed miserably. "What do you mean, Muggles? Didn't you tell me you must come from the strictest line of purebloods ever? You're a Reeve."

Tessa tugged at her hair. One of the best parts about being so worshipped for your looks was the fact that heritage was never discussed, and this meant she could cover up her Muggle mother's side of the family easily enough. It was one of those things she had 'forgotten' to tell Blaise, and she wasn't sure whether now was a good time to tell him or not. In fact, she had not planned to expose the secret until after their fourth child, just in case. But comprehension was slowly dawning on Blaise's face, and she grimaced.

"You're a Muggleborn?"

"No," she said, quickly. "My mother's side is totally. But Blaise, don't get upset about this; I meant to tell you, really I did, but we've just been—I've been so—it shouldn't even—"

Her bumbling explanation was cut short as the rice-paper door slid open. Noriyuki stepped through, waving a scroll jovially. "Ohayo. Do you know where Draco-kun is? I've got a letter from him, given to me by a very pretty owl—all preened looking for him. I expect she was disappointed not to be able to meet him."

Blaise gently rolled Tessa out of his lap and leapt up. "I'll take it to him." He took the scroll and rolled his eyes as Noriyuki eyed Tessa with something akin to what a predator looks at his prey like. If Blaise knew anything about Stupid Saado, Tessa would soon be involved in a contest. The words "I dare you" or "I bet you" were never far from his mouth.

He smirked, pushing back the roiling emotions that had surfaced at Tessa's confession, walking quickly to the courtyard.

Draco was still there, except now he was getting bored with his moping ways and was twiddling with a flower stem, still too sulky to actually get up. Blaise slid into the seat next to him and handed him the scroll as he sat up, but Draco didn't open it.

"You're upset about something," the blond declared regally. "And since that's the only thing I'm sure of at the moment, I demand that you tell me."

Blaise shook his head. "Read the letter first. Then I'll tell you."

Draco eyed him suspiciously, but then untied the ribbon around the scroll and opened it impatiently. It read:

_**Draco,**_

_**Your father is leaving for an extended vacation to Aruba. He will be gone for a week, but I understand that you only have about two days left of your vacation. I need you to come to the Manor immediately; this is urgent news. **_

_**As well, you might be pleased to know that the roses you planted over the summer are in full bloom in the Summer Garden.**_

_**Love,**_

_**Mum**_

_**P.S. It also seems that you've forgotten tons of your hair gel at home. Your Gel Closet is still stacked, and I saw your Gel Trunk still under your bed.**_

"Merlin, Draco, you have a trunk _and_ a closet for your gel?" Blaise was reading the letter over his friend's shoulder. He suddenly became quite dreamy. "Do you know something, Draco? If I could cut the fingers off of a million gloves and use all that gel—oh, the things I could do to embarrass a few people…do me a favor and bring back forty pounds of it or something, okay?"

Draco shrugged nonchalantly, although now felt a little worried. His mother's letter was lighthearted, but Malfoys could write a letter requesting the assassination of their worst enemy and make it seem like they were asking the man out for a crumpet or two.

"Hey," he said, striving for a change in subject. "You've got to tell me now what had you so down!"

Blaise squirmed, and Draco silently cheered himself for not having a blond moment right then and managing to remember.

"Er…it's nothing."

Draco gave a withering glare.

"Fine! It's just—well, Tessa and I just had an argument, is all."

"Did she leave you and promise to make sure you never bore children and never fell in love again?" Draco prodded helpfully.

"No."

"Oh."

Blaise stared at him accusingly. "You sound disappointed."

"So?" Draco glared at his friend until the boy gave in, sighing unhappily as he continued regaling his unhappy moment. When he was done, Draco nodded wisely.

"I see."

"Really?" Blaise said hopefully. Draco stared at him.

"Well…um…no, but see people usually say that. What I _do_ see is someone who never usually cares about stuff like that _caring_. What's up with you?"

"I _don't_ care!" Blaise said stiffly. "But my family will! If I keep seeing her and they find out about it, can you imagine the consequences? For Merlin's sake, they were proud of Rabastan even though he was a killer! What makes you think they'll be proud of me if I marry a half-blood?"

"You were never bothered by it before," Draco said, eyes shifting slightly to watch Noriyuki, who had apparently abandoned Tessa and was currently on the roof, speaking to Seamus.

"Didn't I answer that already? It doesn't matter anyway, Draco. My family will disown me, and even if I can get past that what about Carina? I've got to make sure nothing happens to her, you know? I don't want her to end up like one of them, and even if she doesn't they'll either kill her or send her away from me." Blaise ran his fingers through his hair, eyes dancing nervously. "She's my sister, and I can't just let them take her away from me."

Seamus had just launched himself off the roof and disappeared over the other side. Draco felt vaguely satisfied, and even more so when Noriyuki flung himself off immediately afterward. He turned his full attention back to Blaise.

"Couldn't you always take her with you?" he asked.

Blaise pulled a look of disgust. "Yeah, sure, and how do you think that'll work? After this year I'm free, but she's still too young to finish Hogwarts, and she'll have to attend school. They'll find her that way and claim she's not old enough to make her own decisions." He frowned. "Draco, you're slipping. You should be the one to tell me that."

The blond frowned back. "Maybe I shouldn't. Make your own decisions, Blaise. I can't do everything for you."

"I never asked you to," the Italian shot back. "You were the one who asked what happened!"

"I am a curios man!"

"Oh please," Blaise cried, throwing up his arms. "You can count all _three_ chest hairs! That does _not_ make you a man!"

"I grew another one this week!" Draco said indignantly. "Is it my fault I have baby's skin? Soft and smooth, geez, I never asked for it!"

Blaise glared at him. "Stop taking everything as a joke! Draco, for Merlin's sake, you're not acting like a Wizard anymore! You're acting like—like a Weasley! Or a _Muggle_, even!"

"Shut up," Draco growled. "It's your fault we're involved with these fucking girls anyway. Who was it that didn't want to go along with the Break Their Hearts plan?"

"It's your fault because _you_ fell in love first!" Blaise cried. He jumped off the bench and stalked away angrily, leaving Draco once more, dazed and confused behind him.

* * *

No one was very up to the New Year's celebration the members of the Japanese Quidditch Team had planned, but by the time the food had been laid out and they were all settled in with the decorations, bad moods were ignored in favor of chatting over everything and anything. It was a memorable night.

Ginny spiked the punch, of course, with seven bottles of sake. She obviously did not realize how strong this was, because as soon as Yoshihiro took a cupful, he was pickled to the feet. No one noticed, because they were all rather drunk as well.

Atsashi and Seamus had disappeared a while ago (Ginny had walked in on them in the bathroom, and then walked out) and Hideyuki had only been silenced mumbling when Nori had shoved down three cupfuls of punch into his gullet.

So it was nearly midnight, Tessa had tripped twice and ripped something once, sang the French National Anthem seven times (all of the verses, oh Christ), and managed to attempt to snog Noriyuki thirty-four times, much to Blaise's chagrin.

In fact, the Italian would love nothing more to than to stand up and knock some sense into the drunk Tessa, but he couldn't seem to feel his legs at the moment and had to settle for glaring at her every time she moved (slowly, so very, _agonizingly_, slowly) across the room.

Draco was sitting in a corner and doing something with several pieces of paper and some scissors and an unconscious Hideyuki that was making him giggle. Ginny was glancing back and forth between him and Noriyuki, who seemed to have decided he was President of the Continent of New Jersey and was sitting on top of the table making speeches about how they needed to rename the Garden State the Epicenter of the Universe.

Ginny was feeling a little put out by the time everyone was too drunk to do much but stare expectantly at the large bay window set into the east wall.

Draco had _not_ gotten drunk enough to snog her senseless.

Blaise and Tessa had _not_ snogged each other senseless.

Noriyuki had given up on the holding office, and was now sitting at Ginny's feet, glaring at his fingers. Sighing, Ginny stepped out from behind Noriyuki and out of the room. She slipped on a coat and, walking by the room with only a slightly worried glance in, she pushed open the front door and stepped out.

Snow was swirling through the air, letting everything around her feel crisp and bright. Ginny shivered and drew her coat around her further. Gwinn would have loved this weather, she expected.

The stars were visible; since the flat was on a rather secluded street anyway, and Ginny glowered up at them as though it was their fault she was standing outside, in the cold, by herself.

"Stupid Gwinn," she muttered. The television must have been turned up high at the neighbor's, because she could hear a muffled announcer's voice reporting that it was now 11:54 PM.

She wanted to ring in the New Year with someone, Ginny supposed. It didn't even have to be Draco. It could have been Tessa, or Hermione, or Harry, or even one of her brothers. It wouldn't have been such a huge deal. She suspected that if she hadn't spiked the punch anyways, the night would have turned out sour. She had found out from a teary Tessa about her fight with Blaise, and she was starting to get disgusted with boys more and more.

"Geez," she said to herself, kicking up more snow. What she would give right now for Gwinn to start off with some comment she thought utterly asinine but that made her laugh anyway.

Something fluttered onto her shoulder, and her heart leapt to her throat before she realized it was just Sorano.

"Oh," she breathed. "Did I leave you inside? Sorry."

The two of them, mistress and pet, stayed like that, sharing silent thoughts and feelings. After a while, Ginny flopped down into the snow.

"This," she said, "is stupid. Let me tell you something, Sorano. At the beginning of the year I was loath to come back to school. Some prat had decided red hair didn't mean anything and that I should be placed in Advanced Courses. I was _very_ upset. Also, my brothers were still not dead. I was very, _very_ upset after that."

Sorano hooted softly, as though she understood.

"And then Malfoy just waltzes in, being all confusing and nice and then mean again. And those kisses—geez! No one should be allowed to kiss like that and live, I mean, come on, Mal-Ferret might not be as conceited as I thought if all he's bragging about is true."

Ginny waited patiently until Sorano turned wide eyes up at her and blinked, swiveling her head a little. "So then, we fight, make up, fight, make up, and then stop speaking. And make up! And then fight again! This is more repetitive than Harry's hospital visits! And it's also very traumatizing for a girl my age to fall in love and not even be sure of it!"

Ginny sat up then, growling a little. It took her a moment to pinpoint the noise, but when she did, she had never felt more angry in her entire life.

The neighbors were cheering raucously. Ginny had missed New Year's.

And suddenly, she hated Draco all over again.

* * *

Cheese and rice, so I tried updating on Saturday and Sunday, and then my computer won't let me! So that's why it's late. That and because I seem to have lost much of the data from my computer and I am oh so very pissed off right now because I don't know what happened. And did I mention I've been going to sleep really really late (like, two in the morning) and I haven't woken up later than 7:30 for two weeks straight? This is so depressing, I have even managed to stop bemoaning the loss of my seventh pair of nice earrings.

Cheese.

I need a nap and some Prozac, please.

And Ginny is angsty because I am too...sorry.

* * *


	24. Ginny Knows Nothing

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

* * *

**ginny knows nothing**

**issalee

* * *

**

"How do you feel?" a sympathetic Hermione asked.

"Like that time when Todd-The-Greatest-Gay-Man-Ever asked me if I had ever considered reevaluating Harry's sexuality for him," Ginny answered despondently.

Hermione frowned. "My God, maybe we need a mediwitch."

Ginny moaned. "It's not funny, Hermione. I have a fever and I don't know how I got it, except from that stupid flat of Harry's, which I am planning to burn down with lots and lots of gasoline."

Hermione shifted in the red plush chair she was sitting in. They were back at school, and only a week into classes when Ginny had gotten sick. Madame Pomfrey had sent medicine and a stern note not to move, except for the quick transition to another room. Hermione and a few other Muggleborns were allowed in because they had faced such a distinctly Muggle disease before.

"Don't say that," she said finally. And then, "And have you heard from Tessa yet?"

The young, dark-haired beauty had suddenly isolated herself from Ginny, and Colin, to everyone's surprise, had joined sides with her. He claimed that Ginny had a few issues to work out between her and Tessa and nearly everyone else in the whole school, and he refused to play devil's advocate with her.

"Frenchie has firmly dumped me," Ginny said miserably. "And I am forlornly awaiting her return."

"You've been reading more _Fire In My Pants Of Passion_," Hermione said, shaking her head. "And what book are you up to now?"

Ginny brightened considerably. "Book twelve, _Bloody Flaming Passion in My Khakis_, where Gerardo and Angelo, the Italian twin wizards who have been fluctuating back and forth between the dark and light side, finally split sides because Gerardo finds out that Angelo's love interest, Sophia De Monte Carlo, has been cavorting around with the twins' sworn enemy, Cassius The Mildly Gray, heir of Mortimer the Dark."

"Really?" Hermione arched an eyebrow. "And this is interesting why?"

"Because," Ginny said patiently, "Sophia doesn't love Angelo but Gerardo loves his brother _and_ Sophia, and if Angelo seems to not care so much Gerardo wants to make sure Sophia pays. However, what Gerardo _doesn't_ know is that Angelo doesn't care because he is madly in love with Cassius."

Hermione suddenly zoned back in. "Wait. You mean to say—?"

"I've heard that in the next book, _Inferno, Devour My Slacks_, Cassius decides to look Angelo's way as a trick, but then accidentally gets more tangled than he wants to admit; in Angelo's dark locks of hair."

Hermione blushed. "Ginny, I seriously don't think you should be reading those. But—just out of curiosity—for educational purposes, you understand—how many do you have?"

"All of them up to twelve. I get them delivered."

Hermione's blush deepened and she stuttered a little as she went about asking her next question. "And…I think I have to monitor your reading material, Ginny. I should probably read them all to make sure that you aren't reading something too—adult for your tastes."

"But Hermione," Ginny whined. "The steamy parts are the best!" The redhead felt a little sorry as she watched Hermione's face flame brighter than the cover of the books, and shrugged. "But I keep them all under my mattress. Sometimes the girls borrow them, so I'm not surprised if a few go missing."

"Ah—okay," Hermione mumbled. "I'd better get going, my free period is almost over, okay?"

"Bye," Ginny said, watching her leave.

Later that day she went to her room to get her aforementioned book twelve. Books one through five were missing.

* * *

Draco had been vaguely worried when he heard of the fight between Tessa, Colin, and Ginny, but he was reassured when he remembered that they couldn't possibly stay away from each other, because the time they spent together _in_ class was more than enough to have them make up.

However, only a little while after they came to school he'd heard one of her dorm mates telling another friend that she had come down with something and been isolated. Now he was worried; besides the fact that he'd been hoping to find out exactly what it was that Ginny was upset at him for and now she couldn't tell him, he could even find out from her friends because they probably wouldn't know. And Blaise _still_ wasn't talking to him!

He was walking to the library, pretending not to hear Carina as she prattled on about something or another. He was supposed to be tutoring her, but she was instead talking to one of the girls from Gryffindor; Morgan, he thought she was called. Lost in his thoughts, he almost didn't hear when a voice called his name.

"Hello, Malfoy? Are you even awake?"

He looked up into Harry Potter's eyes, and scowled. "What, Potter?"

Harry shrugged. "You've been standing in the middle of the hallway with this intense frown on your face for a while now. And the people you were waking with, Carina and Morgan, right? They went into the library a while ago."

Draco was suddenly glad he had been trained to keep his blushing to a minimal as he started walking in, a grinning and blessedly silent Potter beside him.

"Isn't that Granger?" Draco said upon entering, hoping Potter would get the clue and leave him alone. Of course, Harry didn't.

"Yeah, but she's got her nose stuck in a book, so she won't listen to me."

Draco frowned. "Hasn't she been reading the same book for a long time now? The cover looks really familiar."

Harry shook his head. "Actually, I think they're Ginny's. It's a series, and Hermione would be bloody embarrassed if she knew she wasn't being as careful as she thought she was."

Draco was about to give a biting retort, when a thought struck him. "Would that happen to be—the _Fire in My Pants Of Passion_ series?"

Harry looked surprised. "Um, yeah." He visibly relaxed. "I forgot you'd spent some time with Ginny. She made most of us read at least the first book; poor Ron had to go up to seven."

"Ah, yes," Draco said, hoping he sounded all knowing. "Um, Potter, would you mind—um—leaving?"

Harry looked a little put down, and Draco almost felt sorry (he was a Malfoy, after all) so he smiled disarmingly. "Doesn't Loo—er, Luna have a free period now?"

Harry nodded. "But she has other friends, and Ron's off with Seamus and Dean doing something or another for Snape, for blowing up that cauldron. And Hermione—well, you can see what she's up too."

Draco stared at him. Could Potter really be so daft as to not notice that Draco obviously did not want him here? Did Potter not see that what Draco was about to do? Go over to Granger, steal the books, make fun of her hair and then run away?

"Potter," he said, enunciating every word very slowly. "You are an idiot. However, I have some use for you. Go get those books from Granger."

"What for?" Harry said, looking confused.

"Because if you don't, I will inexplicably tell everyone that you have read those books and loved them. And that Rita Skeeter woman too."

Harry flushed angrily, but wisely kept his mouth shut and stalked off towards Hermione. Draco watched, extremely amused, as Potter spoke to the bushy-haired girl. Absently, she pushed a pile of books toward him and said something, shooing him off quickly.

Harry returned the books and shoved them in Draco's face. "Here," he muttered, and left quickly lest Draco have other requests for him.

"I am genius," Draco said, and then eyed the first book, _Fire in My Pants Of Passion_. On the back, in curvy gold script, it proclaimed:

_**This series will have you rolling on the ground with laughter, clutching your head in agony, and sobbing with wild abandon. Mercy DeMercy writes a beautiful tale, filled with lust, love, adventure, and destiny.**_

_**Angelo and Gerardo Brizotti are two twin wizards living in wizarding Italy, with their father Antonio. When he dies, his will says nothing but to 'look for his pants of passion'.**_

_**Thus sparks an epic journey across all of Italy as the two brothers attempt to find out about their inheritance, and both of them find love. But what's this? It seems someone else has heard of their good fortune. Will the brothers survive the daring and wicked ruler of the House of Dark? **_

The second, third and fourth books had basically the same plot point. Draco snorted irritably, however, when he read the back of the fourth.

_**Following up after **Wildfire Burning Through My Cargos **and **Firestorm Consuming My Trousers **we have the internationally acclaimed bestseller, **Bonfire Of The Denims_

_**Gerardo and Angelo have finally made it over Dark Mountain and are now in the territory of the terrible and evil Mortimer, ruler of Castle Dark. Sophia, Angelo's love interest from book three, has returned, only to be kidnapped by Mortimer's son Cassius!**_

_**The fair-haired, blue-eyed Cassius is now Angelo's sworn enemy, but Gerardo has other plans. It seems that he has taken a liking to another enemy of his, Mikhail The Russian, ruler of Castle Bleak in southern Italy. The promises Mikhail makes of good fortune and power are too good to pass up for the weak-willed Gerardo, especially now that he is unsure of what the light side is offering since his beloved Sicilian beauty Katherine DeMenzi, was killed by them in an attempt to stop her from defecting. **_

_**What will become of the brothers, now fighting amongst themselves? And another twist in the plot! Angelo seems to have been mistaken as a warrior god by people living on the Dark territory. Will he become too infatuated with the life of a ruler to help out his brother?**_

"Utter drivel," Draco muttered, and then opened the first book. While he waited for Ginny to get better, he might as well try to read these. They would keep his mind off of Ginny herself, and maybe he could force himself to read some more. He'd bully and prod at Potter until he had as many as he could from Granger, and then he'd have amassed a fortune of knowledge to use against the redhead.

Yes, that would be his grand master plan.

And, maybe in the process, he would find out if Gerardo decided to defect or not.

* * *

Two weeks later, Ginny stepped out of Gryffindor feeling very much refreshed after a relapse of the mysterious flu. She frowned, looking around the hallways.

Her entire _Pants_ series had disappeared for a long time, and then mysteriously returned by one of the school owls. She had questioned Hermione, who had blushed and pointed to Harry, who had merely avoided the question.

Very odd, indeed.

But today was a good day, because the thirteenth book had come about, and in celebration, it had been sent out early. _Inferno, Devour My Slacks _was supposedly the best in the series, and although she had gotten it earlier that morning she hadn't gotten a chance to read it because of the rush of last minute homework she had been forced to do.

Several people welcomed her back as she walked, and she waved at them absentmindedly. Let's see—first, she had double Charms—with all Gryffindors, thank Merlin. And then—

"Score!" She punched the air with her fist. "Double study-hall! What a beautiful, precious day!" She even graciously ignored the fact that she had classes until six that evening because of it.

Harry and Hermione greeted her as she entered, placing her things next to her. Several sixth years had gotten into this class, and she waved to invite Praia over while inconspicuously glaring at Colin and Tessa, who sat a few seats ahead.

"Gah," Praia said, as soon as she sat down. "There's some kind of fever going around, Gin, something like what you had. Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff is missing classes for the next two weeks because of it."

"Muggles can contribute only so much," Ginny said wisely. "What has Flitwick been piling on us? Gee, I think I see at least a billion and one new charms to learn for whatchamacalloes."

"OWLS?" Praia suggested dryly.

"Yes, those things." Ginny sighed and leaned against the chair. "It looks like today is the new and improved version of the cheering charm, that must be taught even though Flitwick thinks it'll take up too much time."

"How do you know that?" Praia asked, surprised.

"I read his syllabus coming in."

The other girl shot her a look, and Ginny shrugged as Flitwick commenced the lesson. It was simple enough for her to get it (seventy-six tries to Hermione's forty-nine) but she was still one of the first done.

"Look, I've made Harry unbelievably happy," Ginny said cheerfully, pointing to the dark-haired boy, who was gripping his wand and smiling too tightly as he attempted the charm. "Too bad we haven't learned the counter-spell yet, and I highly doubt he'll get it right in that state."

"Which leaves you un-cheered!" Praia grinned widely; she had been victim to another sixth-year's own. "So sad, these are really quite fun, you know."

"Everyone's too hopped up because no one was depressed in the first place," Ginny muttered. She leaned down and slipped _Inferno_ out of her bag. "Tell me if someone's dying," she told Praia, and then slipped down a little so she could read in peace.

By the time the bell rang nearly an hour and a half later, Ginny was a fifth of the way through _Inferno_. The book was marvelously thick and made her feel thrilled to see that she had so much more to go.

So far, Gerardo had been paid a visit from an old friend; Mikhail of Castle Bleak, who had supposedly reformed and was also was attempting to get something from Cassius. Angelo had been kidnapped by Mortimer, who merely cast him aside for the use of Cassius's own libido, he supposed. Angelo, shocked at this revelation, had fought every advance put on him as he grew closer to Sophia and awaited Gerardo, who was also fighting some very innocuous (or so he thought) feelings for Mikhail.

"Reading material interesting?"

Ginny glanced up and colored slightly as she found Draco smirking down at her. "It's none of your business, prat."

"On the contrary," Draco replied, arching an eyebrow as he pulled out a chair. "It _so_ is."

"I didn't invite you," Ginny said stiffly.

"I know. I invited myself."

"Has anyone ever told you you're very hated? Yes, several times? Well, add me onto the list, you bastard." The redhead made as if to leave but then Draco leaned over. She flinched, expecting him to grab her wrist, but instead he took the book. "Give that back," she snarled.

"Why should I?" Draco flipped it open to the first page. "I want to see if Sophia eventually does realize that she still has feelings for Angelo but they're being superimposed by those she's starting to get for Mortimer."

Ginny stared.

Winner of Round One: _Draco Malfoy_.

* * *

"How do you know about the _Pants_ series?" Ginny asked as she scrambled across the castle grounds. She'd just had her last class and had dashed out of the room in order to catch Draco before he went to Quidditch practice. She had to try very, _very_ hard not to stare as buckled on his straps and moved with the fluid grace of a Seeker even when on the ground.

"I just do."

"No, you don't," Ginny argued. "That can't be possible, especially considering the fact that only females and gay men like those books!"

Draco turned, flustered. "Are you saying that I'm gay?"

"If that's what you want to hear," Ginny shot back, "then yes."

"It's not!"

Ginny smiled. "Then why would you read them?"

"I'll have you know I'm a very sympathetic member of the male species who will do many things in order to attract the attention of the woman he loves."

"You're reading them to get into some girl's skirt?"

"Exactly," Draco said, smirking widely. "Glad to see you understand, Weasley."

But Ginny wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. Her face had a dreamy touch to it as she leaned closer to Draco. "When you smile, you really _do_ look like Dakota…"

Draco, who had been thrown off balance by her sudden approach, took a moment to think about what she had said. "The _moose_!"

"Yes," Ginny said, smiling. "You're adorable."

Draco scowled. "I look _nothing_ like some overgrown rat with horns."

"No, I never said that. I said you looked like a _moose_."

Draco opened his mouth to say something, but then Ginny merely pecked him on the cheek and grinned.

"If you finished reading the series, at least the part about getting into some girl's skirt might come true…"

The Slytherin's jaw flopped uselessly in the air as Ginny skipped away, waving behind her. Someone laughed, and Draco spun to face Blaise.

"What?" he said, but his voice raised an octave at the end.

Blaise laughed harder. "Mate, you've got some issues with her! She's hilarious!"

"A right riot," Draco said dryly. "Get on the frigging pitch, Zabini."

* * *

Ginny reclined on the couch in the Slythindor room as she read the letters she had received. One from the Japanese team telling her that they were more than happy that she had spent her holidays with them, and that they hoped to see her soon. Another from her mum and dad, telling her that she'd left her sweater at home and they were mailing it to her (she scowled and realized she had forgotten to hide it in her closet). The last was in a thickly perfumed envelope that sent her into a fit of sneezing. She ripped it open as she opened the windows in the room, and held a hand to her nose while she read it.

_**Ginevra,**_

_**You are still invited to stay with Tessa for this summer. I've heard that she's having a spat with you from some of my friends' children, but trust me; she is just being her normal, thickheaded self. Although it might do you some good to apologize as well. I've sent you something to help out that endeavor. In the meanwhile, Grandmother Reeve is going to Italy this summer, so you've got two weeks without her if you end up staying!**_

_**Cordially yours,**_

_**Andromeda Reeve **_

The 'Andromeda Reeve' had been crossed off the bottom of what was obviously stationary, and in flowy cursive the word 'Andy!' was written.

Ginny smiled and looked over at the owl that had delivered the letter. A package was attached to its leg, and as soon as she saw it the redhead realized it for what it was. She unclipped it from the owl's leg and ruffled its feathers.

"Here," she said, handing it a hastily written letter. "I want you to go searching for a creature—he looks like a small dragon, but he calls himself an Elemental. His name is Gwinn. If you find him, come back here with him and I'll reward you!"

The owl blinked moodily at her and took off as soon as the message was secure. Ginny shook her head and grinned as she lifted the package up and left the Slythindor room, leaving the lock to click behind her as she left. There were some things she had to talk to her friends about.

* * *

Tessa and Colin were already sitting in the Room of Requirement when she get there. The former held up a note and threw it sourly at Ginny's feet.

"I got your letter," the dark haired beauty said.

Ginny nodded as she sat down a little ways from them and cleared her throat. "Yeah…um, well, I have a lot to say so forgive me but I'm launching into my really long story right now, okay?"

Colin looked amused; Tessa merely looked expressionless. Ginny took a deep breath and continued.

"So, this year, we started out like any other year, right? Being really stupid and acting like idiots and doing some illegal things. The Objectives were a whole lot of fun too. I can't believe we pulled most of them off. I mean, that thong and Snape? It had me cracking up."

Even Tessa let a smile flit across her face at that.

"Can you remember running from the Glitter Cloud of Devastation and Dastardliness? That was a riot. And pulling that trick on Cho made me feel like we'd never die, or something along the lines of invincibility. When we got the Elementals after the ball, Tessa, it was like everything was just going to keep falling into place. I mean, Gwen is super, and I'm so mad that I don't have Gwinn anymore—"

"You don't have Gwinn anymore?" Tessa said, eyes widening. She quickly forced down her surprise, and by the time Ginny had finished explaining why she was silently seething.

"And sometimes," the redhead continued, "I wanted to blame it all on Draco. Because I know that if he had never paid attention to me or something, this year could have been better. But I can't, because, see, it's all my fault. It's always been my fault, and I can't believe I would stoop so low as to mistakenly ruin your relationship with Blaise—even if it was just because you mentioned me as, like, a passing folly. Tessa, you're like the sister I can't have—I don't think I can live without you! Colin, I've known you for ages, ever since you took those pictures of Harry and I got too jealous."

Colin scratched at the back of his neck. "Er, yeah. But, Gin, I'm not mad at you, just so you know." He flinched when Tessa looked at him and then shot her a 'what?' look.

"It doesn't matter," Ginny said, shaking her head. "First off, I haven't had the chance to properly congratulate you on your relationship with Carina—congrats, Colin, and good luck in the future. Tessa—I want nothing more than to be friends with you. And—" Ginny said, taking the package from earlier. "Your mum sent us those Peruvian Chocolates—your favorite!"

Tessa stood, her face stormy as she walked over to her friend. "You think that chocolates that you've gotten from my _mother_ are going to get to me?" She raised a hand as though to slap Ginny, and the redhead flinched but didn't move away. Whatever she got now, she deserved.

"Well, it worked."

Ginny's eyes shot open in surprise as Tessa plunked down in front of her and took the chocolates, unwrapping the box eagerly. A slow, bright grin spread across Ginny's face, until she was beaming.

"I suggest two more Objectives!" she said, very happily. "One—we must get Tessa back together with Blaise!"

"Here, here!" Colin shouted.

Tessa blushed. "And what's the second one?"

"That we enjoy this year as best friends until the end," Ginny said mischievously. "We don't need Objectives to totally wreak havoc upon Hogwarts. To the Slythindor room, where we shall immediately plunder the vast store of Ice Mice I have second-handedly plundered from the kitchens!"

"To the Slythindor room!" Tessa repeated, laughing. Ginny stood tweaked Colin's nose.

"Last one there's a Dumbledore," the redhead said, and ran out. Colin rolled his eyes and made as if to follow, but Tessa stopped him. She gave him a cool, calculating smile.

"You're still in on the _third_ Objective, of course, Colin?"

The Creevy looked slightly miserable before nodding glumly. "I still don't like this. It feels like we're double-crossing her."

"No worries," Tessa said, patting his back. "When we're done, she'll thank us or hate us."

"Probably the last one."

Tessa agreed.

* * *

I'm more dissapointed in myself than I've ever been before. I could only come up with eight pages for this. EIGHT. Jesu Christe, at this rate it'll be one page per chapter. I refuse to put this fic on hiatus though, so no worries, you'll get a longer update (and soon, I hope.)

Let me know what you think? Thanks.

* * *


End file.
